


Crimson Empire

by Nifawiwa



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Akakuro - Freeform, Ancient History, Emotional Manipulation, Emperor!Akashi, Eventual Smut, Fantasy, Gods, Ihaveotherstoriesdammit, M/M, Mystery, Romance, alternative universe, angst in future chapters, whatamIevendoing, yeah everyone loves that shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-08-16 12:54:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8103100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nifawiwa/pseuds/Nifawiwa
Summary: It all happened so suddenly. Before anyone knew it, the head of their king was presented to them on a silver tray by a crimson-haired man named Akashi Seijuurou and he declared himself as their new Emperor. The once peaceful kingdom fell into the hands of this mysterious, yet dangerous man, who bowed to no one.And one day, as the feared Emperor declared he took interest in him, Kuroko realized how much fate truly despised him.





	1. Prologue

It still felt as if it all happened just yesterday. Memories of that fateful day were as vivid as ever and they all kept replaying in his mind, never giving a break. No matter how much time passed, he still remembered every single detail. It was, after all, hard to forget such a beautiful night, which was disrupted by something a child couldn't exactly understand.

The small light blue haired boy always enjoyed gazing up at the starts when he had to be sleeping long ago. They seemed so cold, so far, yet so beautiful. They gave the impression that if one would manage to reach them, the shining crystals would sting like small needles. Nevertheless, Kuroko never ceased to dream about them. It was only natural for a child to do so. He would dream how he fly high enough to reach the cold stars and could admire them from a distance no man has ever did. The child had heard the saying ' _I wish I could give you the stars_ '. Kuroko wished for that too. He wanted to pin down at least one and gift it to a special person, one he would love the same way as his father loved his mother. But that was mere childish dreaming. Kuroko was aware of that, so all these thoughts he kept to himself.

That is why Kuroko was one of the first people in the town, the capital, to notice the strange, yet alarming disturbance. Just as the child was staring at the dark sky, his sensitive ears picked up an unnerving sound coming from afar. The boy, caught by curiosity, leaned further out his window in search for the sound. And there, right up the hill and the gorgeous palace where their newly crowned kind resided, disturbance could be seen and heard. Different shouts and cries traveled from there as well as occasional lights. However, what confused the knowing people who were also observing the midnight event was the actual lack of fire. If it were an intruder and a dangerous enough one to wake up the whole palace, why wasn't the guards fighting more fiercely? But such thoughts didn't bubble up in a small child's head. The boy could only observe the disturbance with curious eyes. However, even such a little child could understand that this couldn't mean anything good. The new king was a nice person, so why would there be shouting at his home?

Either way, after awhile the noise died down and everything returned to normal. Or at least that's what a certain blue haired boy thought as he once again lifted his eyes back to the gorgeous night sky.

-.-

The first thing that immediately seemed off the next morning to the people was the lack of guards around the town. Usually when a new king was crowned a decent amount of guards would be sent to patrol around the city for a few months or so, but today no one could see any. The events of last night spread like wildfire and worry and anxiousness began dwelling up in the people. The marketplace was the most popular part of the town, so that is where most of them had gathered to discuss this whole ordeal. Ideas about traveling up the hill to the palace began spreading, but all of that was quickly disrupted by a man in expensive clothes on a horse. All of the townsfolk recognized him as the royal messenger, so immediately they directed their attention to him.

The man stopped in the middle of the marketplace and when he was sure that everyone's eyes were on him, he spoke. Another strange thing was that he didn't take out any sort of scroll like he usually does when announcing something important.

''An emergency announcement will be made today at the front gates of the palace. The members of the King's Council are requested to attend as soon as possible.'' The messenger spoke loud and clear. However, someone with a more observant eye could notice the paleness of the man's face and the slightly shaking hands.

Different question began erupting from crowd, varying from 'What happened last night?' to 'Why there?'. However, the messenger refused to tell them anything else and simply repeated the announcement. After that, he turned his horse around and rode off, leaving a confused crowd behind in the dust.

Chatter and discussions could have been heard around the marketplace and the announcement spread around the whole town. Seeing this whole commotion, a certain frail woman, who had come to the marketplace to buy some string, quickly grabbed her small child by the hand and lead him out of the marketplace, completely forgetting about her initial task. She wasn't stupid and could understand the seriousness of this situation.

''Tetsuya, listen to me now.'' The woman spoke quickly as he knelt down to her child's eye level. ''Go home and stay there. Do not come out. I will return soon enough, your father will as well.''

Any other child would have refused to do so immediately, but Kuroko was more clever than that. He understood that he wouldn't be able to convince his mother to change her mind, so the boy just nodded and ran off to the direction of his house. At least that's what his mother thought. In truth Kuroko just got out of the woman's sight and waited for her go searching for his father before he quietly returned to the marketplace. The announcement spread wildly and after awhile all at the moment available members had gathered in one place and decided that they didn't have any other choice and began heading towards the palace. Negative emotions spread through the crowd in an uncontrolable speed.

The small boy waited a bit until the rest of the townsfolk attention shifted from the council members and quickly caught up to them. He was careful to stay at the very end, but that was just to double safety precautions. With his frail and little body, not to mention his inborn lack of presence, it was no trouble for Kuroko to keep out of everyone's sight. No one knew what was going on, but it was obvious that nothing good.

Not long after the crowd of men had finally reached the said hill. Just up ahead stood a magnificent palace, which has hosted many generations of rulers. Gorgeous and huge gardens surrounded the whole place, which were perfectly well kept. The palace itself was made from exquisite white marble, though its roof was covered in red ceramic plates. Every arc form window was made with the clearest glass and silk curtains covered them from the inside. Some of them had balconies with the most extravagant railings, carved out with astonishing skill. At the very front of the gorgeous palace stood a magnificent fountain.

Howe v er, here, the same as back in town, no guards were present. Usually quite a large number of them patrolled all the way up the stairs to the palace, but now there were none. Only the front golden gate was opened ajar and at the very top stood five people. Not only that, a row of armored men also stood behind them in a strict row, almost as if they were mere statues. A few were also present in the exact middle of the stair path. The  members of the council didn't ponder too much and began climbing up the marble stairs. There were exactly four sets of them and when they reached the third one, where the armored men stood, they all stopped.

Taking his chance, Kuroko quietly maneuvered through the confused and tense crowd and ended up at the very front. Now he could clearly take in the sight before all of them. The main focus were the five people at the very top. Each and every one of them had strange colored hair, just as Kuroko himself. The child always thought it was something exceptional only to him, but apparently not. They all firmly stood and looked down upon them as if they were some sort of gods. If truth be told, just from the mere sight, that statement wouldn't be too far off. The five young men really did resemble gods. Each had a strong aura around them and simply radiated confidence and power.  Not to mention their extraordinary looks. They all seemed as if they were carved from marble with perfect proportions and lines.  All five wore never before seen robes of the finest silk, colored with a rich pallet.  However, the one that was above all of the others in each and every way, the one that immediately caught not only the child's, but all of the townsfolk attention and made their eyes simply glue to him was the one at the middle, who stood at the very front of the other males. He had the most intimidating aura around him and simply screamed authority and power. However, out of all his unique appearance features, the most striking ones were his piercing seemingly through everything sharp eyes and vivid crimson colored hair. It would be impossible to miss such a person. The man was the absolute opposite of Kuroko. He had the highest presence the child has ever seen and the most confident aura around him. Even a fool would immediately understand that this man was a born leader.

''Greetings,  members of the King's Council of this kingdom.'' The crimson haired man finally spoke. His voice was as smooth as the finest silk, though  also strong as an unbreakable diamond.  The way he spoke his words and how his perfect shaped lips moved accordingly simply enchanted the small boy. ''I go by the name Akashi Seijuurou.  I gathered all of you here this bright morning to announce that from this day forward I am  the new and only ruler  of this kingdom .''

N aturally, that caused an uproar to break out in the confused crowd of men. They began demanding for an explanation and some even tried to get closer, but their moves were quickly stopped by the new supposed guards.  The young man of all of their focus patiently waited for the shouts to die down even slightly, so he could continue speaking.

''Allow me to enlighten you further.'' He started and locked his hands behind his back. ''For awhile I have been observing this kingdom from afar, but recent events made me finally take action. This once proud kingdom is slowly but surely falling aart. I could not let that simply happen. Do not misunderstand me, I do not mean you any harm. I merely believe it would be in this kingdom's best interest if I finally took the crown.''

''What about our king?'' A loud question broke through all of the other enraged chatter.

''Your king, you ask?'' Akashi Seijuurou's voice was now decorated with a tint of amusement. He turned his head slightly and motioned something to one of the armored men, who quickly took off back through the gates. ''Your kind was a foolish man. He made the grave mistake of trying to defy me.  So did his guards and other residents. I  applaud them for their loyalty, but it was an incredibly unwise decision. No one is allowed to deny me. Not the peasants, not the guards, not the king. I am completely absolute and those, who choose to believe otherwise, will pay the price.''

J ust then that man returned with something in his hands. He held a silver tray on which some sort of item was placed that was covered with a dark red material. The man walked to the side of the self-appointed new leader and held the tray next to him. Akashi Seijuurou directed his piercing gaze to it and  unceremoniously removed the piece of cloth.

When the sight before them finally registered in their mind, loud cries and shouts broke through the crowd of men. Each and every one of the more or less ten men were completely and utterly shocked and enraged. The only child among them, however, could only stare with his wide light blue eyes full of disbelief and confusion at the 'thing' on the silver tray. There laid the severed head of their newly crowned king. Dark red, now dry liquid could be seen around his the lower part of his neck and a few parts of his face, mainly the previously dark brown beard, which was now coated with the color of crimson. The head's mouth hung agape, it's dark hair was tousled in all directions while it's dead, bloodshed eyes looked upwards. Kuroko physically couldn't comprehend what he was seeing, since no child should ever witness something so horrific. All he could understand was that a head should also have a body, but this one didn't. Their king one's didn't.

The child averted his wide eyes from the  blood-curdling sight and looked straight to the crimson-haired man, who was calmly observing the enraged and horrified crowd below him. For a split second his sharp gaze landed and the small boy and their eyes met. In that short moment a million thoughts ran through Kuroko's young mind. The first one was how beautiful the man's eyes were. Only then did he notice that one of them was colored with the same shade as his hair, while the other portrayed a rich color of gold. Kuroko felt as if the man's piercing gaze went through his body and soul completely, trapping the  small boy in his look. But the strange spell was quickly broken when Akashi Seijuurou averted his eyes from the other. Kuroko blinked a few times and quickly looked around to see if anyone received the same effect. However, his thoughts were interrupted when the man of their main focus spoke once again.

''This is a mere example of what will happen to those, who will chose to disobey or go against me. It does not have to occur again if only you follow my orders.'' The man looked around the horrified crowd again and added. ''If any of you are wondering, yes, everyone in the palace and  beyond who did not obey me immediately received a similar fate. So it would only be in your best interest to behave.''

That caused the already horror-struck crowd to shake with anger even further. That meant that every lord, duke or earl that was present at the palace yesterday night and didn't obey this crimson-haired man was... However, finally one man managed to at least slightly calm down the rest and walked in front all of them. Kuroko recognized him as one of the more influential people in town, who always seemed collected and calm. Nevertheless, now even his body shook with slight tremble.

''Akashi Seijuurou, if I may,'' He started as clearly and calmly as he could, staring directly into the other's sharp eyes. ''We do not quite understand this situation, so if you would be so kind and--''

''What is there to not understand?'' The red-haired man interrupted him. The older male in front of the crowd slightly winced at his strong tone. ''I am now your new ruler and everything I say goes. That is everything you need to know.''

''But... why?'' The other gathered his courage and spoke again. ''Why did you decide to come to our peaceful kingdom and overthrow our king? Were you sent from another kingdom or--''

''No such thing happened.'' Akashi Seijuurou snapped venomously, which made the man slightly back away. ''I am not a representative of anyone,  since there isn't a single being that is above me. And this kingdom is far from peaceful, at least it wouldn't have been in the near future. Based on my reliable sources, the royalty of this kingdom has been involving itself in matters it shouldn't, for what your allies are thinking of turning against you. Action had to be taken.''

Low chatter went over the crowd of them. They were all trying to understand what they have been told just now, but it was rather hard. The child among them only kept his eyes on the crimson man, but the latter didn't glance at him a second time. After a slight pause he continued.

''Now, another important announcement that sums up everything I have said here.'' At that all of the men's attention was on him as they waited for his next words, feeling worry, fear and shock at the same time. The man in front of them took a step forward and glanced around all of them from above.

''I hereby declare that from this day forward your kingdom will be no more. It will now be known as the Teiko Empire and I, Akashi Seijuurou, will be your new emperor.''

*

_ On that day, their lives changed forever. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how was it? Good? Bad? Boring? Jeez, I'm too uncertain about this... It would really help me if you expressed your thoughts, really.
> 
> Ugh, I don't really want to, but I feel like I have to point something out for some of you. This story will not by any means contain any form of paedophilia, just so you know. Jeez, now I want to go die in a hole or something, because the mere thought...
> 
> Thank you for reading this prologue! Normal chapters will be twice as long.


	2. Chapter I - A Lowly Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your support! I appreciate it very much!
> 
> I'm sorry this took longer than expected, but for some reason I kept rewriting and rewriting, I so badly want to meet your expectations!.. I tried my best at least.

During the first month, all official patrols around the whole country were discarded and the new Emperor's men, now known as the Imperial Army, took their place. This move was to successfully ensure that no immediate riots broke out.

During the first half a year, those men executed every single prisoner whose crime or crimes were above the new standard norms. This action send the obvious message to every person of the new Empire that the consequences of their unthoughtful actions will be severe.

During the first year, the new Emperor himself delivered fatal punishments to those, who chose to rebel against the new ruler. He did not take any prisoners. This showed the whole country that no disobedience will be tolerated.

During the first two years, a giant part of the nobility were robbed of their ranks and either exiled or announced as mere peasants. Their land was divided into parts and given to the men who served the Imperial Army for their services. This was done to wipe out as much remains of the previous royalty as possible and to reduce the risk of them joining forces against the new Emperor.

Nowadays it was clear that the only rule you needed to follow in order to survive was -

_Submit to Akashi Seijuurou or die._

-.-

Even after nearly ten years, the Emperor still once in awhile faced certain troubles regarding the resistance within this country. One would think that after so many failed attempts and so many executions people would let go of their foolish hope, but it seems they had more fire within them than Akashi Seijuurou had initially thought. Even after all this time, the people of the newly former Empire refused to fully submit themselves to the new ruler, at least regarding the inside. On the outside everything seemed to flow smoothly, because no sane person was foolish enough to openly defy Akashi Seijuurou. That was were all those bothers started.

''Another one?'' the Emperor's right-hand man, the one responsible for everything regarding the exchequer, Midorima Shintarou pursed his lips in displease at the news which were delivered to him this early morning.

''I'm afraid so, sir,'' the messenger spoke firmly, yet slightly uncomfortably at the authoritative presence of the other.

Midorima Shintarou began lightly tapping the surface of his dark wood table while humming in thought. Akashi will not be pleased. This had already been happening for about three weeks and the Emperor was slowly growing impatient. He did not like when his time was wasted on such trivial matters, so naturally he demanded for a quick end to this.

''And Mibuchi Reo was in charge, correct?''

''Yes.''

No, in that case Midorima's theory didn't work. Mibuchi was extraordinary loyal to Akashi, so it was impossible for him to be part of these schemes. However, if even he could not stop the attack, it would mean that this new resistance group was indeed quite troublesome.

''Send him to me,'' the green-haired man commanded without lifting his eyes from the window. It was best to hear the report directly from him.

''As you wish,'' the messenger bowed and exited the room.

Truthfully speaking, Midorima wanted to resolve this matter without bothering Akashi too much or asking for his assistance. On one hand, no one liked the Emperor displeased, and on the other, Midorima felt as if his pride would take a toll if he couldn't handle this situation on his own.

Finally a couple of knocks were heard on the room's wooden door and, after Midorima had given his confirmation, it opened and a pair of men walked in.

''I brought him as you've asked, sir.''

''Thank you, now leave.''

With yet another bow, the servant left the room, while the man of Midorima's focus, Mibuchi Reo, walked closer to the wooden table.

''How can I be of service to you, Midorima-kun?'' he spoke in that sickening sweet tone of his that made the other cringe.

''Sit down, Mibuchi,'' he gestured to the chair in front of him. Afterwards the green-haired male fixed his golden spectacles, which were a wonder to the rest of the people, since never before have they seen anything like that, and continued. ''And I presume you are well aware of why I summoned you, nanodayo.''

''Yes, yes,'' Mibuchi sighed and did as told.

''If so, could you care to explain, how yet another attack went successful while you were in charge?''

''It's a bit hard...'' the man pursed his lips and leaned back in his seat. ''I admit, I was at fault, I shouldn't have lowered by guard that much. But I can't deny that these attacks were nothing like I've faced before. I hadn't had this much trouble in years with a mere resistance group.''

''Perhaps you are simply not competent enough, nanodayo?'' Midorima's green eyes glinted dangerously.

''Ah, don't be like that,'' Mibuchi shook his head and folded his arms. ''I merely didn't expect such an attack, it seemed as if they appeared out of thin air. Black cloaks, quick and silent, probably still very young. Everyone was knocked out even before they realized what was happening. However, surprisingly, none were killed.''

''A resistance group which do not kill...'' Midorima murmured under his breath. Simply based on that it was safe to speculate about it's principles. Still... ''However it may be, this cannot continue, nanodayo. Those taxes  _need_ to reach their destination. Akashi is becoming very displeased already and is demanding for this matter to be fixed as soon as possible without his interference.''

''I understand,'' Mibuchi sighed. ''Don't worry, this won't repeat itself, since now I'll know what I have to be expecting.''

''You're correct, it won't,'' Midorima interlocked his fingers on top of the table and cast a serious look at the man in front of him. ''Because next time I will be accompanying you.''

The raven-haired man's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden declaration. No wonder, Midorima didn't usually involve himself in such matters. Perhaps Akashi was in fact urging him to end this as soon as possible.

''I... see. If you say so, even though I'm sure I would be able to handle this by myself-''

''I cannot take chances anymore. If the next delivery fails, we will have to take more extreme measurements, and neither I nor Akashi want that. It would only be bothersome, nanodayo.''

''I understand.''

''Then inform me when the next delivery will take place.''

Honestly, how bothersome.

-.-

Night had already crept upon the Empire when Midorima was summoned from his room. He didn't comment anything, only clicked his tongue in annoyance, since he did not enjoy when his rest was disturbed, no matter by whom. Of course, it wasn't as if he was in the position to refuse.

''I'd prefer if you called me during the day,'' the green-haired man spoke as he approached the empty luxurious table in the middle of the room. ''Akashi.''

Light humming came in response from somewhere within the maze of old bookshelves. Midorima waited patiently for the man of his attention to appear, even though he would have very much liked to snap at him. However, after a few seconds the red-haired ruler emerged from behind a single bookshelf while carrying a handful of scrolls. He approached the wooden table and placed the documents on it before taking a seat. In all this time he didn't spare a single glance to his subordinate.

''As you are well aware, I am busy during the day,'' the Emperor spoke. His voice was as smooth and calm as ever and one could not make out any other emotions, much less figure out what was happening inside his brilliant mind. Finally he lifted his piercing eyes to the man in front of him. ''And based on the information I acquired, you are leaving tomorrow, correct?''

Midorima pursed his lips. Of course, he knew Akashi would ask about it.

''Yes, that is right, nanodayo.''

''Take a seat, Shintarou.''

Slowly, the green-haired male complied. Any other would have shrunken under such an intense gaze coming from Akashi Seijuurou, but Midorima knew him longer than anyone and was not that easily influenced.

The Emperor interlocked his fingers and placed his chin on them before continuing. Even though he did not lose his cool expression, his voice cut through like a knife.

''I am not pleased, Shintarou.''

''I'm aware of that.''

''Has the matter grown this much that it even requires your interference?''

''I'm afraid this new resistance group is a fierce one and cannot be left unattended for much longer. But you needn't worry, Akashi, it will all be resolved in a few days, nanodayo.''

The red-haired ruler narrowed his eyes and observed his serious companion for a few moments. ''I do expect as much. Do not disappoint me.''

Midorima nodded, never loosing his cool. He has seen a variety of sides of this Emperor, so naturally his words didn't take a too great effect. His attention, however, was soon caught by those scrolls the man had brought back with him.

''It has been awhile since I've seen these, nanodayo,'' Midorima commented nonchalantly, even though his eyes portrayed suspicion in them as he looked directly at the man before him. ''Have you, perhaps...''

''Do not make empty assumptions, Shintarou,'' Akashi simply waved his hand and shifted his eyes to the said documents. An unreadable expression overtook his features, one even Midorima could not crack. ''I merely wish to confirm a few aspects of it. Simply in theory, nothing else.''

The taller man observed his old friend for a few moments before he released a sigh. Even if Akashi did discover something of interest, it was very unlikely that he would share it with anyone, at least at the moment. It was no use persuading him.

''Then, if you'll excuse me,'' Midorima murmured and stood up. ''If you do not have any other matters to discuss, I'll take my leave.''

Akashi only waved his hand in dismissal, his eyes never leaving the old yellowed scrolls. However, before he left the spacious room, Midorima stopped for a moment. He didn't turn around and just simply spoke.

''People are beginning to become suspicious. I've already heard different rumors.''

Akashi finally lifted his eyes from the ancient documents and landed them on his subordinate's back. A light smirk crept onto his lips before he responded to that statement.

''That, unfortunately, is unavoidable.''

Without another word, Midorima left the Emperor with those scrolls of his.

-.-

''If that's true, then we have to call the operation off.''

''Yes, we don't have a choice,'' one of the leaders and the only woman within this group, Riko Aida, sighed and crossed her arms. She leaned back in her old creaking chair before she continued. ''If one of those five will be present, it would simply be too risky.''

''I say we should try anyway,'' one of their most strongest members, Kagami Taiga, stated firmly. ''It's only one after all, I'm sure we could take him.''

''Don't be stupid, Kagami-kun,'' Riko snapped at him and narrowed her eyes. ''How many have thought the same thing and are now laying beneath the soil?''

''It's definitely too dangerous,'' the second leader, Hyuuga Junpei, shook his head. He glanced over all of the members with a serious look. ''We can't risk loosing any more of us. We all know what  _they're_ capable of.''

Kagami seemed as he wanted to argue more, but a deadly look from both the leaders managed to shut him up. He simply crossed his arms and grunted something under his mouth in displease.

''Now then,'' Hyuuga sighed and directed his poor vision to a certain member. ''Kuroko, we once again are extremely grateful to you. I don't know what we would do without you...''

''I'm honored, Hyuuga-san,'' their most valued, even if the weakest, member responded with a nod. ''I always try my best to contribute to our group as much as possible.''

''We would be long dead if it weren't for you,'' Izuki Shun grinned and playfully winked at the tealnet.

''Right, then this concludes our meeting,'' Riko announced with a quiet clap. ''Kuroko-kun, please be so kind and spread the word to others to stay low for a couple of days. We'll contact you later.''

And with that the small group disbanded. Of course, not all at the same time, that would have been too risky. Their hideout had to remain in the utmost secrecy after all, it was one of the very few left that were out of the Emperor's everything-seeing eyes. It was accidentally discovered by one of their members, who got lost in the darkest part of the city. No one would guess that there could be a group of teenagers hiding. However, they were no ordinary group. They had been gathering trustworthy members for a long time now and carefully creating resistance against the new Empire plans. It was truly surprising really. Nearly ten years had already passed since Akashi Seijuurou seized control, but the young people still were full of fire and hope. Even the new generation couldn't idly stand by and watch how their once proud kingdom fell into the hands of a demon.

A demon... That wasn't the title the people had given their new ruler. They referred to Akashi Seijuurou as the Crimson Emperor. And he didn't earn that name by good deeds. Such a title stuck with him after a neighboring country decided to attack. The new Empire's land was known for it's rich resources, so naturally it was a desired target. When Akashi Seijuurou announced himself as the new ruler, one of the countries figured now was their chance to seize control of this land. They send out their biggest armies with finest weaponry in the hopes of crushing their enemies.

However, not even after a few weeks everything was over. The outskirts of the Teiko Empire were painted with the color red as far as the eye could see. And it didn't only belong to their enemies. Akashi Seijuurou did not hesitate to sacrifice his own men. Those who wished to retreat were slaughtered on the spot by the Emperor himself and that was a successful method in keeping his armies in line. No one escaped the fierce battles. Akashi Seijuurou himself made sure of that. He took part in every single one of them and killed more than any other without any hesitation. How his eyes burned then. Those who lived to tell the tale described him as someone who did not resemble a human when he was in the midst of a battle. He did not lose a single one though. Using genius, yet inhumane tactics and mind-dazzling plans, Akashi Seijuurou every time emerged victorious. Sure, the casualties of his own men were great, but it was nothing compared to their enemy's. And if you took in account the significant difference of soldiers in the beginning, those numbers only made one gap in horror. Not a single enemy unit survived. Those who were taken into imprisonment were slaughtered as soon as the red-haired Emperor appeared. That only strengthened the fact that Akashi Seijuurou did not take any prisoners. After all of this was over, he become widely known as the Crimson Emperor and no country dared to lay foot in his Empire ever since. No one wished to fight a man, who used such inhumane means in order to ensure victory.

However, that was not the main reason to why the almost seventeen-year-old teen, who was at the moment using the night as his cover and quietly traveling through the dark city chose to join the resistance group. Kuroko Tetsuya decided to throw his life in danger for more personal reasons. He wished to continue in the same path his father had taken. The tealnet was aware of how his significantly low presence could aid in these sort of dangerous missions, so he decided he would use this disadvantage to his advantage. At least he would be of some help, even if he wasn't able to fight due to his naturally weak body. If he so wished, it was nearly impossible to notice this teal-haired teen and he used this ability to gain most secret information. That is how their resistance group knew exactly what was happening and where to go, where to hide, where and when to attack. He was truly their most valued member, even if he himself did not realize that.

To think it was nearly ten years since Kuroko more-or-less stood in front of their new Emperor... He fully understood how important it was for him to keep out of his vision, so the only times he had laid his eyes on their feared ruler were only from afar, from a distance Akashi Seijuurou could not possibly notice him even with his piercing eyes. However, Kuroko was nevertheless aware of the strange phenomenon that seemed to occur to the highest ranking officers, including their Emperor. Ten years had passed but none of the five most influential men have changed regarding their appearance at all. When they came out of nowhere, most people assumed they couldn't have been older than around twenty, but now exactly the same could have be said. That made others wonder what was their actual age and a few strange rumors began spreading through the country. No one knew how it was in reality though.

Finally Kuroko entered the part of the city where he and his mother lived, the same place as ten years ago. His careful eyes caught a few suspicious-looking figures, patrolling around the area, and the tealnet instinctively slightly pulled down his dark cloak, so it would hide his face from the white moonlight. Of course, the chances of them noticing this certain teen in the first place were incredibly slim, but one could not be too careful. That is what his mother always told him. Kuroko was, in fact, the most valued member of their resistance group, but he would also receive the most gruesome punishment for his crimes against the Emperor. That is why he had to ensure no one found out about him.

Not long after, the silent tealnet had slipped past the patrolling guards and, with a last glance to the white palace on the hill, quietly entered his home.

-.-

Midorima Shintarou was, to say the least, unusually disgruntled. He had just returned from his task to ensure that the taxes were delivered to their destination, but, much to his displease, they did not encounter any resistance, not to mention attacks. One would think that it should have been a good thing, but it only proved one thing Midorima was suspicious of. The fact that this trip was peaceful, unlike any others, only suggested that the resistance group knew Midorima would be present. That would lead to the assumption that somehow such secret information was getting out and the rebels are managing to acquire it. If that was indeed true, then it would only result in more trouble. So it was rather obvious why the green-haired officer was in such a bad mood.

''Don't you think we should summon the others as well, nanodayo?'' Midorima asked in a serious tone when he was yet again in front of their ruler. The said man had his chin placed on top of his interlocked slender hands and, even though his expression portrayed nothing but calmness, his fiery eyes glinted dangerously.

''No, we should not,'' Akashi answered without lifting his gaze to the man in front of him. He kept it down to the wooden table, seemingly not wanting to distract himself with trivial sights. ''We shouldn't bother more people than necessary. Although I do admit this has become quite troublesome. If the resistance group is somehow acquiring such secret information, it would mean that it is not impossible for them to learn about vital matters as well.''

''...How do you suggest we deal with this? If there are such people among them-''

''No, I do not believe that is correct,'' the Emperor interrupted him, which made the other purse his lips. ''Certain aspects made me come to the assumption that this is the work of a single member. The whole group's vital point. Our task then is to find out who exactly he is and capture him. I repeat, capture, not kill. I wish to know how he managed to avoid Atsushi's security after all.''

''I understand. However, you said that we should leave the others out of this, but then do enlighten me on how you are planning to achieve this task, nanodayo?''

Akashi didn't answer immediately. He kept his eyes on the wooden surface and thought about this whole situation. It was true that it did not make his pleased at all.

''I will take care of it myself,'' finally the Emperor announced, not lifting his gaze up to the surprised male. His eyes, however, visibly darkened as he continued. ''That spy has insulted me personally by gathering such information. He foolishly thought that it will be possible to escape my eyes, for what I cannot let him walk free.''

-.-

''Tetsuya, where are you heading at this hour?''

The said teen stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder. It seems his mother has awoken already, even though the tealnet tried his best to stay as quiet as possible. He uncomfortably shifted from one foot to another as he fully turned to the worried woman.

''I promised to meet a couple of friends, mother,'' he finally spoke, never loosing his composed expression. ''There is no need to worry.''

''Tetsuya...'' the woman sighed and a saddened look crept into her eyes. She slowly began walking towards her son and stopped when she was right in front of him. ''Tetsuya. When will you quit this foolishness?''

''Mother... Forgive me, but I can't. Please do not worry yourself about it, I will be fine. My tasks are only trivial, nothing too dangerous.''

The short woman bit her lower lip and cupped her son's face with both of her frail hands. She looked so anxious and sad that it broke the tealnet's heart, but he couldn't do anything about it.

''Please, Tetsuya, stop this. I already lost your father, I can't lose you too. Why don't you live like a normal boy? You could help your grandfather at the farm or aid me with my vegetables... You could even find your own method of living. Maybe even find a woman for yourself. Create a family and live peacefully. Why with all those risks?..''

''Because I haven't yet lost hope. None of my friends have. Please believe in us, mother, and I promise I'll... we'll be fine.''

The woman could only sigh. No matter what she said, her son never changed his decision. She could only believe him and pray to God to protect him. He was all she had left after all.

''...Okay, I'll try to. But, tell me, Tetsuya, where exactly are you heading? You are wearing your usual clothes, so it couldn't be...''

''No, it isn't, don't worry,'' Kuroko cast a tiny, yet reassuring smile at her direction. ''Like I said, I will only meet a few friends. Nothing dangerous. I'll come back in time to help you prepare dinner.''

''I do hope so, Tetsuya.''

And with that, the blue-haired teen left his old house. He didn't lie to his mother, he will indeed only go see a couple of his friends. Discussing any sort of matters related to their resistance group would be extremely risky, since you couldn't know who might be listening. It only took a couple of words and, without even realizing it, you are in front of the executioner. However, that was if luck smiled upon you. People like Kuroko, if caught, received much more horrific punishments. Not too long ago the news about a certain rebel's death spread across the country for it's gruesomeness. No one knew for sure how much torture he had endured before he was dismembered. Such news would have seriously made any other rebel to think twice about his actions, but Kuroko knew he didn't and wouldn't regret anything if it was to help his group. He would rather sacrifice himself than let the others get caught. No sane person wished to face the wrath of the Emperor. It was best not to face him at all, since no one knew what exactly was going through his mind.

Usually when Kuroko met with his friends, they tried to help as many people as their power allowed them. That help varied greatly. It could have been helping an old woman carry her shoppings or playing with small children, looking over them at the same time. These days mothers were extremely cautious and did not want to leave their child unattended, since no one knew what those troublemakers could cause. It was best not to find out the consequences, so Kuroko and his small group sometimes aided those young mothers with this matter.

That was exactly what they decided to do this day as well. The young tealnet always enjoyed spending time with children and didn't find them troublesome at all. And in return he was very much loved by them. They always waited in anticipation for the teen to show up in their playground. Sure, it wasn't as if the children disliked Kuroko's friends, on the contrary, they liked them very much as well, but the tealnet was always their favorite. They were always so sad to see him go.

''Tet-chan, my mama asked me to carry these to grandmama, can you go with?'' a small girl shyly asked the tealnet when she finally mustered enough courage to approach him. She had a big basket full of all sorts of vegetables with her.

''Ah, of course, Yuka-chan,'' Kuroko answered with a warm smile. He got up from his crouching position, which made some children whine in disapproval. They couldn't simply let go of him that easily. That made the teen to reassuringly beam at each one of them before he promised he'll be right back. With much difficulty they finally let him go.

''Do you want me to help carry your basket as well?'' the tealnet asked gently when he and the small girl finally began moving through the city. It was no wonder she asked for him to join her, it was, after all, a big and at parts dark city, full of people the child didn't know and was most likely scared of.

The girl firmly shook her head and gripped the heavy basket tighter. ''No, my mama asked me to carry it, I don't want to disappoint her. She says I have do things by myself to grow strong.''

''It's not weak to accept help from others though. Keep that in mind,'' Kuroko cast a tiny, yet warm smile at her, which made slight red to creep onto her smooth cheeks. It wasn't a big secret that most of the small girls claimed to be in love with Kuroko and wanted him for themselves. The teen already had more marriage proposals than he could count. Of course, he promised to marry each and every one of them, which made some confused. How will he do that? No, he had to chose just one, which a lot of times caused animosity to bloom between the girls. But Kuroko was always quick to explain that since all of them were his favorite, so he couldn't simply chose just one. He promised to make every single one of them happy and if that meant he had to marry all of them, he would. Such a declaration only made them swoon for him more.

''Tet-chan is always so nice to us,'' the girl suddenly stated and cast the brightest smile at him she could make. ''We love Tet-chan very much!''

''I love all of you very much too,'' Kuroko answered with the same gesture and gently petted her small head. ''Let's never be apart, okay?''

However, just then the child suddenly lost balance due to the uneven path they were walking. The tealnet managed to react in time before she fell down on to hard rocks, but her basket's fate wasn't as lucky. The girl lost her grip on it and almost all the vegetables fell out of it directly into the road before them. Seeing how her eyes widened in fear, Kuroko didn't waste any time and quickly ran over to pick them up. Everyone knew how dangerous it was to suddenly run into the road like that, but he couldn't simply stand by and do nothing.

Soon enough he had gathered all the now slightly more dirty vegetables and placed inside the basket, which firmly stood by the side of the road next to the trembling girl. She was so scared of what would happen whether she would lose what her mother gave her, but now that worry was quickly swept away. However, her sharp big eyes caught a single stray potato, still laying in the middle of the road, and, instead of telling so to Kuroko, she herself ran over to it. The teen had almost no time to react to that. However, the sound of a carriage reached his ears and, when he turned his head to that direction, his eyes widened in horror when noticed how a horse was already too close to the girl for her to move aside even if she did notice it. Not wasting a single moment, Kuroko threw himself to the road and pushed the small girl out of harm's way. However, that could have only resulted in one thing. The driver, not too surprisingly, didn't notice neither the child nor the teen and that made the horse startled when he himself felt a presence right in front of him. And a startled horse was never a good thing. That lead Kuroko, who didn't have time to cover his head, to being accidentally hit by one of it's hoofs.

That, the driver felt. Somehow he managed to control the horse and calm it down. Only then did he notice that it did in fact hit someone and that someone turned out to be a young teenager, who had hit the ground from the impact and had a gashing wound, out of which blood was streaming down his porcelain-like face, on the side of is head. Naturally, he had lost consciousness due to that.

Such a situation didn't go unnoticed by the people around them. Some stopped to watch everything unfold further, while a few thought about going over to the unfortunate boy and helping him, but they were quickly stopped by others, who had a direful expression on their faces.

''Do you see that emblem?'' they whispered fearfully.

And there was indeed that sign of the carriage that everyone feared. No one would mistake it for any else. That successfully made anyone with the thoughts of going near it to back away. No matter the circumstances, it was widely known not to get in the way of  _him._ Knowing that, a lot of townsfolk quickly dispersed before they got any more involved.

Before the driver could do anything or even begin thinking about it, the door of the luxurious carriage opened and the man that struck fear into every mortal climbed out of it. Any other high-ranking mqn would have most likely stayed inside and simply ordered the driver to continue driving. They didn't have time for such trivial matters after all. Who would waste their time with a simple peasant? Besides, accidents happened all the time, so it was nothing knew, they had more important business to take care of. Of course, it wasn't as if the Emperor himself did not, in fact, he was summoned on an urgent matter to another city, so it would only make sense for him to simply leave this be, but, if truth be told, the red-haired ruler was interested. His driver was a very competent man and for him not to notice someone was definitely an unusual occurrence. Besides, the Emperor could be late as much as he so wished.

Seeing his leader walk out of the carriage, the driver's eyes widened and he quickly climbed down himself. Honestly fearing for his life, the man knelt in front of the Emperor, since that was the first rule if you wished for something, wanted to show respect or got in trouble, and spoke.

''Forgive me, Your Highness, I do not know how I did not notice him.''

However, Akashi Seijuurou didn't answer anything to that. He simply walked in front of the horse in order to see who was the unfortunate victim. When his piercing eyes finally caught the laying teen and when they registered every single one of his features, they widened by a tiny friction out of surprise. Unbeknown to him, a small smirk slowly crept onto his perfect lips when he realized who was now laying in front of him unconscious.

_Finally._

''I cannot leave this unfortunate boy here to die,'' the Emperor suddenly announced. His expression had yet again returned to the calm and composed one as before. ''We will bring him back to the palace and aid him back to health.''

''W-What?'' the driver stuttered when he finally lifted his head. His voice was full of shock, most certainly no wonder. Never before had he heard of such a thing after all. Their Emperor was known for  _taking_ lives, definitely not  _sparing_ them, especially when it came to such trivial ones as the lives of mere peasants. ''But, Your Highness—''

A single look from the said man made the driver shut his mouth. The Emperor's eyes were as fiery as ever and it struck fear into the man to the very bone. It seemed it only took one glance from the red-haired ruler and one would be stripped of their life. No one could withstand such a strong gaze.

''Did I not make myself clear?'' Akashi Seijuurou asked with such a dark tone that it only made the unfortunate driver to shrink with fear further.

''No, Your Highness, forgive me.''

''Good,'' The Emperor shifted his eyes back to the unconscious teen and he made a move closer to him. However, to his surprise, a young girl ran out in front of the boy and shielded him with her small body. She had a fearful expression on her face, but she managed to overcome it.

''D-Don't take Tet-chan!'' she exclaimed louder than she had intended. ''He didn't do anything wrong!''

The Emperor gazed at the small child for a few moments before he softened his eyes and crouched in front of the girl. To her immense surprise, his lips shaped into a small smile, which seemed to be able to fool anyone, and spoke.

''Do not fret, little one,'' Akashi Seijuurou's voice was as smooth as silk and made the small girl swoon with unexplainable feelings. They only increased when the man brought his hand and oh-so gently caressed her cheek with the back of it. ''I will not harm him. I wish to only tend him back to health. Now, be so kind and allow me to take him.''

''I... okay,'' the girl finally answered, completely overtaken by the Emperor's spell. She couldn't understand how could this man be the monster his parents always told her about. They always said to her to stay away from him as much as she could, to never cross his path. But he didn't seem so bad from up front.

''Thank you,'' the Emperor once again smiled gently at her and stood up. Now without any resistance he could walk over to the laying teen and swiftly pick him up. Not surprisingly, he seemed to weight as much as a feather. Without sparing a single glance at the small child, Akashi Seijuurou carried the teal-haired boy back to his carriage.

''B-But promise to bring him back!'' Suddenly the girl's desperate voice reached him and for a moment he stopped. ''Tet-chan promised to marry us and make us all happy!''

The Emperor glanced over his shoulder at the small child and cast a soothing smile at her before disappearing inside his carriage.

After the driver got back into his position and turned the horse around, they began moving back to the palace. Akashi Seijuurou continued to hold the unconscious teen in his hands and kept observing his sleeping pale face. Without him realizing it, that small strange smirk yet again appeared on his lips.

_I have finally found you._


	3. Chapter 2 - Dinner For Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all very much again for your support! It really means the world to me!
> 
> I've finished this chapter a bit earlier than expected, so here you have it! The third one, however, will most likely take more time, just so you know.
> 
> Oh, I wanted to point out something. The last chapter when Akashi said 'I have finally found you', he was not referring to Kuroko as the spy, but something a bit more deeper. That, however, will not be explain for quite a long time, even though there will be hints of it.

The first thing that Kuroko's dazed mind registered was the rays of sunlight hitting his closed eyelids. It wasn't bothersome though, only made something click inside. His room always had the curtains drawn over the small window, so almost no sunlight could access it, much less reach his eyes. Naturally, such a thought confused the half-awake teen.

With much struggle, the tealnet managed to crack open his eyelids. Warm light greeted his sensitive eyes and at first Kuroko couldn't see anything else. His vision seemed rather blurry, and in order to chase it away the tealnet blinked a few times. When finally it slightly cleared up, Kuroko realized he had been staring at a smooth golden ceiling. His room most certainly did not have such a color anywhere in it. That only confused Kuroko further.

Slowly, the teen tried sitting up, but immediately sharp pain shot to the side of his head, which made the unfortunate tealnet slightly hiss and instinctively bring one of his hands to the pained area. However, to his surprise, his slim fingers touched some sort of material resembling a bandage instead of his messy locks. Carefully following it, Kuroko realized that it was indeed a bandage wrapped around his head. Such a revelation made the teen's eyes widen, since he clearly knew that his mother couldn't afford such expensive material. It indeed seemed as if he had never touched it before. _Why and how is this here?_

However, soon the teen was brought out of his thoughts when the door to the room he was laying in opened. It startled the tealnet momentarily and he quickly shifted his eyes to that area.

''Oh, you're awake.''

It revealed to be a young woman with long black hair that framed her face beautifully. She wore a white, long to the very ground, wide-sleeved tunic with a black, seemingly very thin and vast band around her waist. The material of her clothing seemed smooth to the touch and unusually extravagant, one a mere peasant could not simply acquire. Such a thing only dazzled Kuroko's already unclear mind further. The tealnet wished to ask something, but he was so full of questions that he simply couldn't choose one. Not allowing him to clear his thoughts, the young woman walked further inside the room and approached a luxurious-looking wardrobe by one of the walls. Out of there she carefully took some sort of clothing and approached the confused teen.

''You are requested to wear this. When you are done, knock on the door,'' the woman spoke in a cool, yet formal tone and her face was void of any sort of vibrant emotion, much like Kuroko's usual expression. Not pondering for a moment, she placed the attire on the bed and, after she had turned around, gracefully walked out of the room.

The tealnet wasn't quick to comply. No, his mind was too still dazzled and it kept getting worse by the second. He did not understand anything that was happening. Where was he and how did he get here?

Then suddenly, memories flooded his head. He remember how he and Yuka were walking through the town when she lost her balance and all the vegetables in her basket got scattered on the road. He quickly gathered them, but seemingly missed one and the girl ran out to get it. Just then a carriage appeared and Kuroko jumped in front of it, pushing the child out of it's way. The last thing the teen remembered was the sharp pain that hit his head and after that... nothing. However, he did recall how a single thought entered his mind as the horse accidentally attacked him. Kuroko at that moment was certain that this will most likely be his end. No one usually bothered with such accidents, especially if it was someone like Kuroko, who was either way quickly forgotten. Besides, he was but a mere peasant, surely no wealthy person who could afford such things would tend him...

Kuroko slowly removed the smooth covers while looking around the unfamiliar room. It was an average-sized one, though astoundingly luxurious nonetheless. The bed he was sitting on was incredibly soft, as if he was on those white clouds. Nothing compared to his bed at home. The room didn't have a lot of furniture, although the ones that were present were seemingly made from the finest wood and other materials. The wide clear window besides the bed was slightly covered with violet velvet curtains, allowing the bright sun to enter the room. Kuroko guessed that a single wardrobe by one of the walls, which at parts was gilded, most likely cost more than his whole house. Who on Earth could afford such expensive things in their country?

The tealnet finally shifted his attention to the clothing presented to him on the bed. He couldn't sit here forever after all and most likely his best course of action was to comply. With that thought, Kuroko lowered his legs to the ground and tried to stand up. At first it was slightly hard, since his head was still a bit light and his whole body felt weak. However, the teen somehow managed to get up and approached the bed's end where the attire laid. Carefully he touched it and slightly picked up in order to see it more clearly.

It revealed to be a gorgeous dark green robe, delicately embroidered with a variety of colored threads, some even being golden. It was so smooth, light and soft that Kuroko assumed it must have been made from the finest and most expensive silk, such a material only royalty was blessed to have. And Kuroko of all people was allowed, even requested to wear this? This seemed like a dream to the tealnet.

_...Or a nightmare._

Either way, Kuroko slowly began dressing out of his peasant clothes, lost in his own thoughts. He was certainly bewildered by all this, so naturally he couldn't help but ponder. After a few minutes he was already sliding the smooth material over his tender skin, slightly shivering at the unusual sensation. Never before had he wore something as luxurious and soft. It seemed as if such an attire simply couldn't match with someone as Kuroko, and because of that the teen couldn't help but feel extremely out of place, both wearing this robe and being in this room. The anxiousness within the tealnet kept increasing by each passing second at the thought of what was awaiting him further.

Finally Kuroko managed to secure the beautiful robe on him. He realized that it was slightly too big for him, since the wide sleeves fell completely over his hands and it seemed too loose for him, so, if truth be told, he felt even more tiny with this attire. After a quick glance around the room, he found a pair of dark leather slipper-like shoes by the end of the bed next to him. Kuroko assumed that he most likely had to wear them as well, so he carefully slipped them on and began making his way to the door. No use in staying here any longer.

Doing as instructed, the tealnet lightly knocked on the wooden door a couple of times and it was immediately opened by the same woman as before. Upon seeing Kuroko, her eyes slightly widened, but she quickly managed to hide her emotions and spoke:

''Please follow me.''

With that the woman turned around and began walking through the wide corridor, Kuroko right behind her. However, the teen couldn't help but gaze around in wonder. The walls and the many Corinthian columns along them were made from smooth white marble and the floor they were walking on was made from gleaming white and gray plates that reflected the sunlight coming from the many crystal clear windows. However, each step Kuroko took through these magnificent halls kept increasing the foreboding feeling. All this luxury, these clothes, these spaces... _Could it be..._ No, no, it couldn't. There was absolutely no way. And yet, the tightness in the teen's chest kept growing.

Soon enough the woman stopped in front of certain double doors. Without hesitation, she knocked on them a couple of times. After hearing a muffled confirmation from inside, the woman opened them. Since she was in front of him, Kuroko couldn't see the room at all.

''I've brought him as you have requested,'' the woman spoke with an unwavering tone. Kuroko couldn't sense any sort of distress in her voice, which, for some reason, slightly confused him. She seemed so sure about her actions and words.

''Thank you, send him in and leave,'' a smooth, yet authoritative voice resonated from inside. For some reason Kuroko couldn't quite understand it made his throat tighten and all of his body tensed up. He could have _sworn_ he had heard it before, since one could not simply forget such a voice. However, before he could try to place it, the woman in front of him bowed deeply and moved out of the teen's way. After casting a quick glance at her, Kuroko forced his slightly trembling legs to move forward. A couple of steps afterwards and the tealnet was inside the room with the door closed behind him. It took only a moment for his eyes to catch the main focus of this place, and that was a man behind a dark wood table in the middle of the room. Upon seeing him, Kuroko heartbeat accelerated to abnormal levels and his breathing got caught up in his throat. If earlier his body was simply trembling, then now it was shaking and the tealnet was sure his legs would give out at any second.

In front of him, only several meters away, with a small smile that resembled a smirk more sat none other than the Crimson Emperor himself, Akashi Seijuurou.

The part of Kuroko's mind that wasn't yet clouded instantly reminded him all the rules he and every other person within their country knew about how to act around their ruler. Remembering that, the tealnet immediately fell to his knees and knelt down as much as his body allowed him. That was the first rule. _Upon seeing the Emperor, kneel._ The second rule – _Remain silent until you are granted permission or are expected to speak._ These rules were key to one's wellbeing while around this feared man.

''I see you are recovering well, Kuroko Tetsuya,'' the red-haired ruler finally spoke. Such a smooth unwavering voice, full of authoritativeness and power struck the tealnet to the very bottom of his heart. Especially when the Emperor spoke his name, which seemed to roll of his tongue so easily. For a moment Kuroko wondered how he knew it, but then it hit him that the man before him was _the_ Akashi Seijuurou. It was no surprise really. The Emperor always got what he desired. ''How are you?''

Gathering all of his courage and after moistening his dry throat once, the tealnet answered in the strongest yet submissive tone he could.

''I feel the utmost honor being graced by your presence, Akashi-Heika.''

The third rule – _Show nothing but the highest respect._

An amused chuckle reached the tealnet's ears, which sounded like a beautiful melody. If the circumstances would have been any different, Kuroko would have very much enjoyed it.

''I see. However, that is not exactly the question I asked.''

That made Kuroko's blood run cold. Did he seriously mess up from the very start? But, what was he supposed to answer? Everyone knows that those words were the first ones one should say to the Emperor after all... But that wasn't what he was supposed to answer it seems.

''Forgive me, Akashi-Heika. I'm feeling well.''

After Kuroko's words the Emperor began lightly humming. From what the tealnet heard, he then stood up and began approaching the kneeling teen. With each step the man took, Kuroko's body kept tensing up and once in awhile he had to remind himself to continue breathing. On any circumstances one would feel immensely intimidated by the Emperor's presence, and Kuroko's wasn't exactly the best. No, he had every right to feel on edge, considering his crimes against the new ruler. However, slight hope continued to remain within the tealnet's heart. If Akashi Seijuurou knew about his activities, Kuroko would most certainly not be here at this moment. No, he would already be prepared to be executed. That, however, did not explain at all why the teen was in this exact situation.

Finally Kuroko heard the footsteps stopping in front of him.

''Rise, Tetsuya,'' the red-haired ruler commanded. Hearing such a voice so close to him, Kuroko couldn't help but shiver, especially considering that the Emperor used his _first name like that_. However, he could not hesitate at all. It was merely common knowledge that everyone must obey Akashi Seijuurou unquestionably.

Slowly, the tealnet straightened up and began standing up. Only now could he see that the Emperor was no more than a metre away from him. Never before in his life had Kuroko been this close to Akashi Seijuurou and he sincerely wished it would have stayed that way. He had no intentions on going anywhere near their ruler, for many reasons. Unfortunately, luck did not smile upon him it seems.

Even when the teen was finally standing in front of the other, he continued keeping his head low. That was one of the rules as well – _One could not look the Emperor in the eye without his permission._ If truth be told, the tealnet felt more than happy to follow that specific rule. Only that one time almost ten years had he seen their new ruler's eyes and it was enough.

However, Kuroko was brought out of such thoughts when the man in front of him spoke once again.

''Raise your head, Tetsuya.''

No, luck was most certainly not by his side.

Slowly, the teen complied and to his dismay soon enough his eyes were directed right into the Emperor's. And immediately he once again lost himself within Akashi Seijuurou's piercing gaze. His heterochromatic eyes were as vivid and powerful as the last time he had seen them and Kuroko once more got enchanted by them. The intensity they portrayed seemed to fit such a man, however, the tealnet found himself wondering how could such beautiful eyes belong to someone so corrupted. And those exact eyes seemed to be studying every part of Kuroko's soul.

''You must be hungry, correct? After all, you have been unconscious for nearly two days,'' the Emperor spoke as a light smile tugged his lips. However, Kuroko didn't notice it, since he was too indulged in staring into his eyes. It took the teen a couple of moments to register the red-haired ruler's words. He had to blink a few times to at least partly leave that strange trance.

After the Emperor mentioned hunger, Kuroko felt that he was in fact starving. How didn't he notice it sooner? His stomach was lurching painfully and demanding for food as soon as possible. Realizing that, the teen tried swallowing to moisten his dry throat.

''I... I suppose,'' finally he answered in a smaller voice than previously, trying his best not to avert his gaze from the other.

The Emperor's sharp eyes glinted before he spoke yet again.

''Come with me, Tetsuya.''

After those words Akashi Seijuurou walked behind the tealnet and opened the luxurious doors. With a single, mysterious glance to the teen over his shoulder he exited the room and waited for Kuroko to follow.

It took about a second for the tealnet to come back to his senses. When he did, however, he quickly turned around and did as told. All this shock was making his already light head to spin more and Kuroko had to try his best to not lose his balance. He could not afford such humiliation after all.

Without another word, the Emperor quietly closed the door and began walking through the empty halls. The tealnet silently followed suit, maintaining an appropriate distance between them. All this time the teen was trying to calm down his wildly beating heart, taking in deep breaths and exhaling. Now that he was finally free for just awhile of Akashi Seijuurou's piercing gaze, he could more clearly observe him. Today the color of the Emperor's silk robe was soothing navy blue. The tender material was embroidered with light blue and occasionally dark green threads, for what the attire oddly resembled the ocean. The man wearing it himself seemed to flow through the halls as if the gentle stream of a river. So smooth and quiet. If not for the vibrant crimson hair, which from up close seemed so soft, Kuroko would have most likely forgotten just who exactly was the person in front of him.

Finally they approached a pair of grand doors. Without a stop the Emperor and opened them and went in, gesturing to Kuroko to follow. Quickly obeying, the teen stepped inside the spacious area. The sight that greeted his eyes was astonishing. Before him stood a magnificent long dining table covered in dishes Kuroko hadn't before seen. He doubted he had ever seen this much food and drinks in one place at all. However, the teen could not understand the purpose behind such extravagance. Why would the Emperor...

_Oh. Is that how it is?.._

It suddenly hit him. This was probably an action to strike greater fear into one's heart. By presenting such luxuries the red-haired ruler demonstrated to any visitor his power in the most simplest form. It certainly worked on Kuroko, however...

''Akashi-Heika, forgive me, but what is...'' the teen started hesitantly, not daring to glance at the other. He tried his best keeping his voice under control, although his eyes still sparked with amazement.

''Hm? I did ask whether you were hungry, did I not?'' the Emperor inquired, always keeping his piercing eyes on the smaller male. His smooth voice was painted with amusement while a light smirk played by the corners of his lips. He began slowly approaching the table, gesturing for the tealnet to follow, which the latter did without question, even though hesitation was still most certainly present within him. ''Come, Tetsuya, and treat yourself with whatever you so desire.''

_I can... eat this?_

No, there had to be some sort of misunderstanding. There was no way Kuroko could actually...

''But... why?'' the tealnet couldn't stop himself and asked.

''Why you ask?'' Akashi Seijuurou lightly chuckled as he himself sat at the end of the table and intertwined his fingers in front of him. He placed his chin on top of them and continued while a small smile continued playing on his perfect lips. ''I merely find it befitting to treat my dear guest appropriately.''

''Guest?..'' Kuroko repeated bewildered.

''Of course,'' The Emperor's lips shifted into a wider smile, even though it did have that dim color of contempt. ''You are my guest, Tetsuya, so please, take a seat and enjoy my generosity.''

Still with immense doubt within him, Kuroko slowly complied and sat down somewhere a bit further from the Emperor. The teen could clearly feel the man's sharp eyes piercing through him and it continued to keep him on edge the entire time. One could not simply relax under the gaze of Akashi Seijuurou after all. The tealnet himself instead looked over the dishes presented in front of him, not recognizing a single one. He honestly felt extremely out of place and didn't know what to do now.

''Is something the matter, Tetsuya?'' after a few moments the red-haired ruler asked and slightly tilted his head. ''I assure you the food here is of the highest quality, so no need to hesitate.''

''No, Akashi-Heika, it's not that...'' Kuroko answered quietly. His body felt incredibly stiff under the intense gaze of the other, so he couldn't gather his thoughts correctly.

''Ah, I see,'' The Emperor's lips twitched upwards. ''Then, allow me to recommend some of my personal favorites.''

He began gesturing to different kind of dishes and shortly presenting them, so the teen would have at least the basic understanding. Some of the main ingredients sounded foreign to Kuroko, but he chose not to comment on that. In fact, the tealnet kept as much silent as he possibly could. Since he didn't know any others, Kuroko quietly helped himself to the dishes Akashi Seijuurou recommended. However, knowing at least the basics of the correct etiquette, the teen only kept shifting his eyes from the silver plate to the red-haired Emperor, who was calmly observing the other. Seeing how Kuroko wasn't touching his food, his lips shifted into a small smile once more.

''Eat, Tetsuya,'' the man chuckled amused and reached out for a nearby jug. ''I will only perhaps have a drink.''

After those words the Emperor poured some red liquid into his clear glass and picked it up. Sending a smirk over the top of it, the man took a small sip and continued to observe the tealnet.

Kuroko, feeling that he didn't have another choice, averted his eyes from the intimidating man and focus on the food in front of him. He felt his mouth watering at the sight and his stomach demanded to devour all of it immediately. However, the tealnet only said his thank-you, slowly took the correct (in his opinion at least) utensils and carefully took a small bite of one of the dishes. It was safe to say that never before had Kuroko tasted something so delicious, so exquisite. The taste was mild, not too spicy or chilly, just the way the tealnet liked it. It seemed to simply melt inside the teen's mouth and Kuroko couldn't keep his eyes from widening due to the amazement.

''How is it?'' the Emperor inquired, still continuing to observe the tealnet over the top of his glass.

Kuroko swallowed the small bite and shifted his eyes to the other.

''It's delicious, Akashi-Heika, thank you.''

''Good,'' the man lightly chuckled and took another sip.

The teen continued taking small bites and slowly chewing them, because, one, he wished to savor the magnificent taste as much as he could and two, he felt that he needed to be extremely careful in this situation. Kuroko was, after all in the presence of _the_ Akashi Seijuurou. This specific thought could never leave his mind and kept bothering him.

''You seem tense, Tetsuya,'' the Emperor suddenly spoke while slightly tilting his head. The tealnet immediately froze at that. It took him a couple of moments for him to swallow the food that was already in his mouth and shift his slightly distressed look to the man.

''I apologize, Akashi-Heika, but isn't that only natural? It is not easy to relax while being in your presence,'' Kuroko hesitatingly started. However, fearing that he might have somehow messed up, he added: ''Forgive me if I sounded rude, that was not my intent.''

''I see,'' The Emperor cracked an amused smile. He averted his eyes from the tense teen and looked at his half-full glass while slightly twirling the liquid inside. The man cast a glance at the tealnet before continuing. ''I suppose that is sensible. However, as I've mentioned before, you are my dear guest, Tetsuya, and I do not harm my guests, so you have nothing to fret about.''

''But, Akashi-Heika, if I may,'' Kuroko gathered enough courage to approach the matter that has been bothering him for awhile now. ''I do not quite understand why exactly am I here. Forgive me, but I am still a bit baffled by why am I suddenly your... guest.''

''Mmm, I suppose it is not unreasonable. Allow me to enlighten you then on certain events. When you, I assume, ran into the road, my driver did not notice you and you received an accidental hit from the horse. However, fortunately for you, the carriage belonged to me and I decided to bring you back to the palace to tend you.''

''Fortunately?..'' the quiet word unconsciously slipped out of Kuroko's mouth and he realized his mistake a second too late. The teen's eyes widened and he instinctively brought one of his hands to his mouth. He shouldn't have said that.

However, much to the tealnet's surprise, the man before him only chuckled amused. There was not a hint of annoyance or any sort of negativity within those sharp eyes of his when the Emperor spoke yet again.

''Yes, it is indeed fortunate that _I_ was in that carriage. I can guarantee you than none of my subordinates would have helped you if it were them. Why, some may have even killed you on the stop for interrupting their ride, there are in fact people like that under my control. But, luckily for you, I am not one of them. However ruthless you may think I am, I am not completely heartless. I hope that answers your question.''

Kuroko remained silent and only observed the red-haired ruler. Not knowing what else he was supposed to do, the teen slowly resumed eating, always fully aware of the other's presence. The Emperor's words did not calm him down one bit. There was something in his voice, some sort of spice that kept unnerving the tealnet. Their feared ruler never did something without any actual reason, and Kuroko doubted it was simply out of the 'goodness' of his heart, so naturally the teen wished and at the same time felt anxious about finding out the true meaning behind such generous treatment towards him.

Without any warning, the Emperor stood up from his seat and Kuroko immediate froze. Seeing that, the man chuckled and slowly began approaching the tealnet.

''Eat, Tetsuya,'' he commanded gently in a soothing voice. The teen was extremely doubtful about that, but decided to obey nonetheless. It was best not to question Akashi Seijuurou after all.

The Emperor stopped directly behind Kuroko and the latter clearly felt the closeness between them, although did not dare to comment on that and only anxiously awaited what was to come next. However, the teen was most certainly taken by surprise when the Emperor softly touched the tips of his blue locks. The man then gently twirled a part of them with his fingers and began lightly humming. Kuroko felt all of his body stiffen at the contact and forced himself to swallow all the now tasteless food. Akashi Seijuurou was actually touching his hair and the tealnet most certainly did not know how he should feel about that.

''You have such strange-colored hair,'' the Emperor finally spoke, sounding almost interested. Or perhaps he indeed was, only his tone didn't give out vivid enough emotions.

Kuroko forced himself to calm down at least partly before answering. However, that was an incredibly difficult task, especially now when the red-haired ruler began gently combing through his hair, carefully minding the bandage. The tealnet could clearly feel the Emperor's smooth touch, which made his body shiver.

''Forgive me, Akashi-Heika, but I believe I could say the same thing about yours,'' Kuroko said, but instantly regretted it. The Emperor could very well take it the wrong way, so he immediately added: ''I apologize if I sounded ill-mannered, I did not mean to offend you in any way, Akashi-Heika.''

''You did not,'' The man sounded amused and a small chuckle left his lips. ''It was not my intent to insult you as well, I merely made an observation. Tell me, Tetsuya, did either of your parents or other relatives have such a color?''

''Not that I'm aware, Akashi-Heika. As far as I know, all my relatives had dark, nor-... either brown or black hair,'' Kuroko answered slightly confused.

''Mmm, I see,'' the Emperor hummed. He, however, took note of Kuroko's stop in the middle of his sentence. A smirk appeared on his perfect lips and he decided to proceed.

The red-haired ruler gently placed both of his hands on the teen's shoulders and slowly began tracing them up and down, clearly feeling how the tealnet's body underneath the slightly over-sized robe stiffened even further. Even though he couldn't see Kuroko's expression, he could hear occasional hitched breaths coming from the distressed teen. The Emperor's eyes glinted in amusement and he finally spoke.

''You know, Tetsuya,'' Akashi started in a smooth, yet dangerous tone, which made the tealnet completely freeze up. Enjoying such a reaction, the Emperor lowered his head right besides Kuroko's and continued in a slightly hushed voice. ''I find it admirable how awfully polite you are towards me. However, I suppose it is only natural for you to express such cautiousness, considering that you are the vital point of a certain resistance group that has been causing me such trouble recently.''

At those words Kuroko's mind went completely blank. He forgot how to breath, how to move, how to do anything. The only thought that pounded inside his empty head was that this was the end for him. There was no escape. For his crimes in the best case scenario he would be simply killed, but Kuroko didn't hold such hopes. The reality suddenly felt all that more realistic. The feared Emperor was literally inches from him, completely trapping the tealnet with his murderous hands that felt so gentle on his tense body. There was absolutely no hope for the unfortunate teen.

''Am I...'' Kuroko finally mustered enough courage to speak, even if his voice was as weak as never before. ''...going to be executed?''

The Emperor released a low chuckle and brought one of his hands to the teen's pale face. He gently began caressing along the tealnet's jawline to his chin as he spoke once again.

''Calm down, Tetsuya,'' Akashi's voice was unbelievably soothing, even if he did have that hint of amusement in it. His gesture send shock waves through the teen's body and he tried his best to control his tremble. The Emperor's touch felt incredibly strange and seemed to burn his tender skin, however, it also felt oddly... cold. ''Have you forgotten my previous words? You are my guest, so no harm will be done to you. I will not punish you for you crimes, so calm down.''

... _What?_

Kuroko was not... going to be killed? _How... is that possible?_ Their Emperor never showed any signs of mercy, especially to rebels... The tealnet must have misunderstood, but the feared ruler clearly stated that he will not harm him... Could it be that he was this way hinting that he would spare the teen if he would tell him the whereabouts of the other members?..

''But... why?'' Kuroko managed to get out. His voice still sounded weak, though now it was painted with disbelief and suspicion. He gathered as much strength as he could and added: ''I will not betray the others if that is what you want.''

''Yes, yes, I am aware of your admirable loyalty. I do not expect you to betray your comrades, that is not the reason why I chose to grant you pardon,'' Akashi hummed, never ceasing his caressing action. He only turned his head to the teen and proceeded to speak. ''I suppose it is because I find you intriguing for certain reasons.''

''Intriguing?'' Kuroko repeated confused. What could have been so interesting about him to the Emperor that the said man would forgive him for his crimes?

''Why yes, my dear Tetsuya,'' the red-haired ruler softly laughed and stopped his caressing motion. Instead, he gently gripped the tealnet's chin and slowly turned the teen's head to his side. Akashi then lifted it slightly, so his sharp gaze could meet Kuroko's eyes. What interested the Emperor further was that the tealnet's eyes were not like two glasses full of fear, instead, they were almost unreadable and his true emotions were buried deep inside. Akashi could still catch a glimpse of fire within them though, which only amused him more. ''However, my forgiveness is only valid within this palace and it's grounds or on exceptional occasions. Once you set foot out of this area without my permission, I cannot guarantee your safety nor am I willing to. You understand, don't you, Tetsuya?''

Yes, Kuroko understood his situation very clearly, or as clearly as one could when the Emperor's piercing gaze was mere inches apart. Only now, from this proximity, did the tealnet notice that their ruler's pupils were very oddly shaped, as if a cat's. However, for some reason that detail only made them more gorgeous.

''Yes, Akashi-Heika. If I try to leave, I'll be killed.''

''Indeed,'' The Emperor's smirk widened. ''And to reduce your any willingness of disobedience, if you ever try to escape, not only you will receive punishment, but anyone associated with you as well. Did I make myself clear, Tetsuya?''

At that Kuroko's eyes widened by a tiny friction. In other words, not only he, but everyone he knows will be killed. His thoughts traveled to a certain group of children and his chest tightened. No, he couldn't let anything happen to them. Not to them, not to any of his friends or family.

''So am I your prisoner now, Akashi-Heika?'' the tealnet asked with a slightly shaking voice, even though he tried his best to keep his emotions at bay.

The Emperor sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them, his gaze had darkened by a few levels and he spoke.

''Tetsuya, you should be aware that I very much dislike repeating myself,'' Akashi's voice was lower than before and there was now a hint of dangerousness and annoyance audible in it. ''I have already told you that you are my guest. If you were my prisoner, I would most likely harm you in some sort of way, which I am not planning on doing to you. Honestly,'' the Emperor sighed. Before he continued, his piercing eyes softened to a more calm and soothing look. ''There is absolutely no reason for you to fret this much, Tetsuya. Being my guest is considered a luxury many wished to experience after all, but I am not usually this generous.''

''But, Akashi-Heika... I apologize, but I still don't seem to understand this situation... Why would you treat me this way if I acted against you?..''

''On any other occasion I wouldn't. If I would have decided to punish you accordingly,'' The Emperor's eyes darkened. ''at this moment you would have been shrieking in agony, for you have insulted me greatly with your rebellious actions. However, you have escaped such a fate, so I suggest you simply be grateful for that and do not question it. It is very unlikely that I would change my mind, but it is not impossible.''

Kuroko remained silent after that. He fully understood that the man in front of him could kill him in an instant with his bare hands if he so wished to. It was indeed best not to question the Emperor and simply obey his every command. However, such an answer suggested that there was in fact a deeper meaning to Kuroko's 'imprisonment'. Akashi may have said that the teen was merely a guest, but it was obvious to anyone that from this moment onwards the tealnet will be bounded to the ruthless Emperor for God knows how long. Maybe he may not even see the day when he will be able to walk as a free man again. From this day his life will be completely controlled by Akashi Seijuurou, that much was obvious.


	4. Chapter 3 - Play Of Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho ho, would you look at that? I actually managed to post this quite quickly, huh. I guess I just got enough inspiration. Well, this is slightly shorter than usually, but I'll make it up with the next update, promise.
> 
> I've noticed that I've gotten this question quite often, so I'll just say it here. No, none of the GoM are vampires and this will not be a vampire AU, sorry if I disappointed you. Such mythological creatures don't exist in this story, but it is still from the fantasy genre, you'll soon learn why. I suppose it must be pretty obvious by now, but it will be clear in the next chapter. 
> 
> Also, I'm not planning on answering any plot-related questions if they will be answered sooner or later in the story. If, however, it would not be answered somewhere, then of course I'll answer it personally!
> 
> Thank you all for you support, I appreciate it very much!

The Emperor's strangely cool fingers lingered a few moments on the tealnet's chin before he finally released it and slightly backed away, providing Kuroko his much needed space. Never in all that time did their eye contact break and each of them felt as if they were drowning in the other's eyes.

''Tetsuya, I must take care of one certain matter now,'' Akashi finally spoke, ending their deafening silence. ''I will be back shortly. In the mean time, feel free to help yourself to any dish, but do not leave.''

Without another word the Emperor swiftly turned around and headed towards the doors. Shortly after Kuroko was finally all alone, the menacing presence gone. As realization of that hit him, the teen released a breath he did not know he was holding. With the Emperor gone it felt as if his chest had become lighter and it was now easier to breathe. Slowly his dazzled mind began clearing and he could think about his situation with a brighter head.

_My name is Kuroko Tetsuya. I am... around seventeen, maybe eighteen years old. I live with my mother. I belonged to a newly-formed resistance group against Emperor Akashi Seijuurou and his reign. However, I am now said Emperor's prisoner... No, guest. But a prisoner nonetheless, because if I leave, I die._

_...How did this happen?_

Kuroko shook his troubled head and closed his eyes. He needed to calm down his pounding heart and stop his slight tremble. _It's okay, it's okay. I'm not going to die, I'm not going to be tortured. Why would the Emperor lie? If only he wouldn't find the others, everything would be okay._

_...But wouldn't he?_

The teen's eyes snapped open at that thought. He might had gotten pardoned for reasons he did not know, but what about the others? Sure, most of their crimes weren't as severe as his, but all of them would face execution nonetheless if they would be found. Kuroko had no way of contacting any of them, so he couldn't warn them to stay low. If somehow the Emperor found out about him, the shadow of their group, then, with enough effort, he could also find the others. What could the teen do to prevent that? Was he completely powerless in this situation?.. There had to be something he could do... Trying to escape, though, was far to dangerous and risky, he shouldn't push his luck too much. It's already a miracle Kuroko so easily received forgiveness. That was another thing that unnerved him. Their Emperor, Akashi Seijuurou, was known to be a ruthless and merciless man, he did not tolerate any kind of disobedience. In his eyes, that was the worst crime, for what the culprits met gruesome ends. And Kuroko had committed such crimes multiple times. He most certainly should have been tortured countless times by now for that. And yet, instead of such a cruel fate, the young tealnet, after being ensured by the feared Emperor himself that he won't be hurt, sat in front a giant table full of the most luxurious dishes he could and even couldn't imagine. Akashi only said he granted him pardon because Kuroko was 'intriguing'. What on Earth could be so interesting about this teen that it would be enough for him to escape his gruesome fate? There had to be something Kuroko wasn't aware of, something much deeper...

However, before the tealnet could dwell on such thoughts any further, the doors opened once more and the man he last wished to see entered the dining hall. Without any hesitation he walked over to where the suddenly tense teen waited.

''Have you finished eating, Tetsuya?'' the man asked as he stopped next to the said tealnet. After glancing once at the silver plate, he sighed. ''You barely touched it at all.''

''I apologize, Akashi-Heika, but I have a very low appetite,'' Kuroko spoke in his defense, not lifting his eyes to meet the Emperor's. ''That is an advantage while living in poverty after all.''

''I suppose that is true. We will have to adjust your diet then. Your frame, Tetsuya, is far too slender.''

''I apologize...'' the tealnet murmured once more, feeling quite uncomfortable by now.

The red-haired ruler lightly chuckled, amused at Kuroko's behavior. He placed his hand on one of the teen's shoulders and gently stroked it with the intention of soothing the tense tealnet. However, such an action only backfired, even though the Emperor was well aware that it would cause the other to stiffen even more. He had other objectives after all.

''Tetsuya, relax,'' Akashi spoke softly, never loosing that lingering smile on his lips. ''You do not need to apologize every time you speak.''

''But, isn't that only part of the correct etiquette while being in your presence, Akashi-Heika?'' Kuroko finally lifted his eyes to meet the Emperor's.

''That is the general understanding, yes, but I personally find it improper. An apology is very powerful and important, one should not throw such words around without any real meaning behind them. So, Tetsuya, apologize only when you are sincere, understand? You will soon realize that the correct etiquette while in my presence in slightly different from what is believed outside the palace.''

''I... understand,'' Kuroko answered blankly, studying the Emperor's expression, though not finding anything out of place. Unbreakable as ever.

''Good,'' Akashi cast a light smile at the teen and finally lifted his hand from the other's shoulder. Instead, he gracefully extended it in Kuroko's direction, as if offering to him to take it. ''Now then, Tetsuya, I would like to introduce you to some of my most trusted people.''

Kuroko glanced at the Emperor's extended palm and after a moment hesitantly took it. The feared ruler's direct touch to his bare skin seemingly burned the area and send stinging shocks through his body. However, the first comparison was quite contradictory, since the man's hand was unusually cold, as if he had just came back from the outside during winter. The temperature here was quite warm though, so why...

''Perhaps the four highest ranking commanders?'' Kuroko asked carefully as he, with the help of the man of his focus, stood up from the chair.

''Indeed,'' Akashi smirked, seemingly pleased that the tealnet caught on so quickly.

As soon as Kuroko was up, he released the other's hand and instead offered his arm to him as a gentleman would offer to a lady. The tealnet, of course, understood that, but didn't dare commenting on it. He only hesitantly accepted it and intertwined their arms together. What other choice did he have, really?

''Let us go then.''

And with that the Emperor along with the tense teen, who just wished he would wake up from this, began heading towards the door. Each step Kuroko was painfully aware of the strong presence next to him, too close for comfort, and their interlocked arms. The poor tealnet would have very much liked if he could have simply followed the man at an appropriate distance, his weak heart would had already had enough pressure, but this... This was simply unbelievable. Truthfully speaking, Kuroko never thought their Emperor would enjoy physical contact this much, especially with someone he did not know. Well, at least the teen thought so. Even in poverty, he was raised with good manners and knew what should and shouldn't be done regarding another person, a stranger at that. One of the basic things was personal space. One had to give another his personal space and be considerate of it. However, the Emperor didn't seem to know this unspoken rule or simply did not mind it. Sure, etiquette was different in each class, but, from Kuroko had assumed, in higher classes physical contact had to be respected even more, especially regarding someone as high as the Emperor!.. Sure, he could do whatever he so wished, but shouldn't someone as powerful and prideful as Akashi Seijuurou mind any kind of contact with some as low as Kuroko?..

However, the tealnet's train of thought was suddenly interrupted when the he accidentally, even though their pace was slow enough, stepped on the end of his over-sized robe and almost stumbled, but the man besides him reacted in an instant and quickly caught the teen around his shoulders, helping him regain his balance.

''My apologies, it seems I selected a robe too big for you,'' the Emperor chuckled amused, without a hint of remorse. _Contradicting your own words?_ ''Well, my frame is slightly larger than yours after all.''

It took Kuroko a couple of seconds to register the man's words. His face was still a bit flustered from his previous embarrassing stumble, but now his eyes slowly widened as realization struck him and he lifted them to meet Akashi's amused gaze.

''T-This is Akashi-Heika's...'' the tealnet stuttered weakly, searching for any sort of confirmation or denial in those enchanting heterochromatic eyes.

''Indeed it is, Tetsuya,'' The Emperor's smile widened, enjoying the teen's reaction. He gently fixed the slightly slipped off material from one of Kuroko's shoulders before he continued. ''Do not worry, I will order new ones to be made for you soon enough. However, I must admit that you look quite charming in my clothes. I might even change my mind about my previous statement.''

After that was confirmed, Kuroko suddenly began painfully feeling every touch and fold of the robe he was in. Now knowing who it used to belong to only made his heart pound faster. _I'm wearing the Emperor's clothes, I'm wearing the Emperor's clothes, I'm wearing the Emperor's clothes--_

''Is something the matter, Tetsuya?'' the said man asked curiously, seeing the teen slightly, though unconsciously squirm next to him as they had slowly resumed walking, again with intertwined arms. ''Does the fact that your robe previously belonged to me make you uncomfortable?''

''No, it's not that...'' Kuroko mumbled with a light frown and weakly shook his head. ''I suppose I'm just... surprised.''

''Ah, I see,'' Akashi hummed the words off his tongue. He figured that he probably bombarded the young tealnet with unbelievable things too quickly. Maybe he should try it toning down... It wasn't as if the Emperor wanted to frighten his guest away, on the contrary, his goal was to make Kuroko to let down his guard and open up to him. And then...

Soon after Akashi stopped in front a certain door. The teen doubted he would ever memorize these never-ending halls. How others could so simply walk through them, clearly knowing their destination and the route, was beyond him. Besides, all those doors looked identical to the tealnet... However, he was brought out of his thoughts when the Emperor without knocking opened the door up and, along with Kuroko, went in.

''Thank you all for gathering on such a short notice,'' he spoke with a light smile as he stepped inside the room, pulling the very tense tealnet along and closing the door behind them.

''Of course, it must be urgent if Akashicchi himself called,'' one of the occupants of the room chuckled.

Quickly glancing around Kuroko counted indeed four other people in what looked to be... a library? Though it wasn't exactly that... The room was circular and unbelievably high. Along it's walls stood shelves to the very ceiling full of all sorts of books and scrips, it was simply fascinating for someone as Kuroko. Such a thing was very strange in his class, but the tealnet adored reading. He learned it himself using only a couple of ancient books his grandfather owned. Peasants who were somewhat literate were incredibly rare, unheard of even. People like Kuroko didn't have time nor resources for schooling, but the teen somehow managed. So to see this many books in one place was breath-taking for him. However, he couldn't dwell on it too much, since his focus had to be in other places. At one wall, instead of bookshelves, stood a magnificent fireplace, in front of what was a low dark wood table and around it stood some luxurious armchairs and a couple of sofas. Three of the men were seated there, while the last one was leaning against one of the bookshelves near the fireplace with his arms crossed and waiting. Kuroko immediately recognized all four people – the highest ranking commanders, most trusted men of the Emperor, who were with him from the very start. Seeing such intimidating people in one place was most certainly not good for Kuroko's heart.

''So what's the news, Akashi?'' the one leaning against the wall asked, sounding a bit impatient. Judging by his clothing, he must have been the one in charge of the whole military, so no wonder he seemed agitated, he probably had his duties to take care of. The same could have been said about the rest. Still, every single one of them were in direct control of the Emperor, so they couldn't refuse his summon, no matter how sudden.

''I would like for all of you to meet someone,'' Akashi spoke smoothly with a light smile playing on his lips. He shifted slightly, so that the tense tealnet would be more visible and gestured to him using his free hand. Vaguely he felt how the teen's grip on his arm tightened a bit, most likely unconsciously. It seems he disliked being put in the spotlight _._ ''This is Kuroko Tetsuya. From now own he will be my guest, so naturally I expect that all of you will treat him appropriately. Also, I hope all of you will get acquainted with him, since he will be staying here indefinitely.''

''I-Indefinitely?'' one of them, the blonde, stuttered shocked. It was safe to say that all of them were quite surprised, speaking lightly. The first surprise was that they didn't notice the teen before Akashi had introduced him and the second was the Emperor's words. All four commanders honestly couldn't believe what he was saying. Such a thing was never heard of after all. Their ruler didn't usually get acquainted with anyone from the _outside_ for various reasons. For him to bring someone in as guest as simply unbelievable. However... With his observant eyes Kuroko noticed that one of the men's expression displayed not only shock or confusion. The teen recognized him. Midorima Shintarou, the one in charge of everything regarding the exchequer and the Emperor's most trusted advisor. Those green eyes of his held shock intertwined with rage. He kept shifting his gaze from Kuroko to Akashi, seemingly trying to read something out. Immediately the tealnet understood that there was something this man knew that others didn't, especially the teen himself. Somehow that unnerved him greatly.

''Yes, for now that is all you need to know,'' the Emperor said simply. Not once did he glance to the green-haired man, though it seemed as if he knew what the other was thinking. He, however, was great at masking it. ''Thank you all for you time and I hope you will grant my wish and meet my expectations. Shintarou, Ryouta, meet me at my study in ten minutes.''

After that Akashi opened the door and, along with Kuroko, walked out of the circular room, leaving the stunned men behind. The thought of having to communicate with them in the future unnerved Kuroko and he yet again shifted uncomfortably. This certainly took a lot of his mental strength.

''Are you okay, Tetsuya?'' Akashi asked suddenly, looking at the smaller teen next to him. ''I suppose such many new things must be a bit overwhelming for you.''

Kuroko stayed silent and only nodded at that. It did indeed feel as if from a dream or a story, not a good one at that.

''Do not worry, you will soon get used to it,'' the Emperor chuckled lightly. ''All of them, including myself of course, may be trusted, they will tend to all of your needs, so do not fear them. However,'' His gaze slightly darkened and the next words he spoke were enveloped in mystery. ''Be wary of Midorima Shintarou. He will not hurt you, but he is unlike me. He is the only person besides myself who knows about your previous crimes, but he is not as forgiving. I suggest you do not lower your guard while in his presence.''

''I... understand,'' Kuroko spoke in a lightly hushed voice, looking at the clear ground beneath him. So he was correct, there was something about that man that separated him from the rest... However, his thoughts drifted elsewhere as he noticed how once in awhile they would pass what Kuroko assumed to be servants and how each and every one of them stopped and bowed to the Emperor, even if the latter paid no attention to them. ''What about the other occupants of this palace?''

''Do not worry, if you dress in the attires I give you, no one will question your authorization and will not bother you. However, if you do face such a situation, which is unlikely, simply say that you are my personal guest and if there are any problems, they should report to me directly.''

''What if they don't believe me?''

''Ah, Tetsuya,'' the Emperor lightly laughed at Kuroko words and cast an amused glance at the said teen. ''No one here would dare to spread such false information, for they would be punished severely.''

''Oh,'' the tealnet murmured. He should have figured as much. Of course, no one would dare to question the Emperor's authority, and if Kuroko would say he is the man's guest indefinitely... ''Akashi-Heika, may I ask?''

''Of course.''

''You said that I would be staying here for indefinite time... But, what about my mother then? She would be devastated if she did not know where I had gone to...'' The promise of coming home for dinner lingered in Kuroko's mind and it made his heart throb painfully with the realization that he may not get to see his own mother ever again. Or anyone else for that matter.

''That is already taken care of,'' Akashi spoke with a strangely soothing voice as he softly looked at the distressed teen besides him. ''She was informed of your situation shortly before you woke up, so you needn't worry. You must care for you mother deeply, correct?''

Kuroko once again nodded, now in a much stronger dismay than ever before. Even though it seemed as if he had saw his mother not too long ago, it felt as if ages had passed and she was miles away...

''What about you, Akashi-Heika?'' the tealnet suddenly asked and lifted his eyes to the Emperor before he even thought about his question. When he did, however, he instantly cursed himself. It was an extremely personal topic after all, he shouldn't have asked that.

''Me?'' The man seemed taken aback by such a sudden question, his perfect eyes even widened by a tiny fraction. However, his surprise quickly changed into an unreadable expression and he shifted his gaze from the teen to up ahead the hall they were walking, though his look somehow seemed distant. ''I lost my mother a very long time ago. Her memory is nothing but a dull image in my head.''

''Oh... My condolences,'' Kuroko murmured, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He averted his eyes from the man and began staring into the floor beneath him.

Akashi cast a curious look at the teen before a light smile appeared on his lips. ''If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. We are almost at our destination by the way.''

''How old are you?'' Kuroko blurted out the first thing that popped inside his head and immediately slapped himself mentally. He should control his thoughts and words better, he was playing a very dangerous game after all. But the tealnet couldn't help himself, he was simply too curious.

''My, you seem very interested in my personal life,'' Akashi laughed, not sounding annoyed at all. On the contrary, his seemed quite amused at Kuroko's question, while the latter could only think how charming his laugh sounded. ''You are quite daring I must say.''

''I... Please forgive me, I did not mean to offend you in any way--''

''You did not, calm down, Tetsuya,'' the Emperor spoke gently while looking at the distressed tealnet. ''On the contrary, I am quite pleased that you take interest in me. However, I must postpone my answer to your question, for we have arrived.''

Indeed, Kuroko only then noticed that they had stopped in front of yet another luxurious door, though this one seemed different from the others. The hall's interior itself was quite unlike the rest's. However, Kuroko didn't have enough time to ponder on that, since the red-haired ruler opened the door and gestured for the teen to walk in first.

''From now on these will be your sleeping chambers,'' Akashi announced as he himself closed the door behind them and stepped a bit further into the luxurious room. ''You may do here whatever you so wish. Since this is your personal area, no one, except myself, may enter without your permission, remember that. I hope it will suit your taste.''

''It's... Y-Yes, of course,'' the teen stuttered, completely wonderstruck. The room they were in was simply breath-taking for a person such as Kuroko. It was hard to believe this was now his own area, since for the past seventeen years of his life the tealnet lived in a small dark room and hadn't laid his eyes on anything resembling such furniture, interior and materials. Even if Kuroko tried his best on keeping his home clean, it was still nothing compared to the bright neatness of this room, not a speck of dusk anywhere in sight. For a moment he let himself forget his dismay and indulged in marveling such luxuries.

''I'm glad then,'' Akashi cast a pleased smile at the amazed tealnet. ''Unfortunately, my free time here is almost over and I must leave you for the time being. Now, do you wish to rest or would you like an escort, who would familiarize you with the grounds of the palace and keep you company?''

''...I would perhaps like to rest for awhile,'' Kuroko murmured. He was indeed feeling quite exhausted, it was hard comprehending everything that had happened to him after all.

''I understand,'' the Emperor hummed, observing the other closely. ''However, before you do so, I will send a maid to change your bandage.''

''Oh,'' the tealnet mumbled and lightly touched the material around his head. He had forgotten all about his injury, since his attention was shifted elsewhere all the time, and no wonder. However, now that Akashi mentioned it, Kuroko felt the dull pain hitting his head and his wish for rest increased. ''That is not necessary...''

''Tetsuya,'' he spoke sharply and took Kuroko hand that was by his head. Slightly startled, the teen shifted his eyes to the Emperor's fiery ones. ''I insist. And that was not a suggestion. However, even if I would in the future offer you something, you should not reject it.''

''I-I understand, please forgive me,'' the tealnet stuttered, slightly frightened by the man's sudden change of tone.

Akashi's sharp eyes softened and he cast a gentle smile at the tense teen. He loosed his grip on the other's hand and caressed it with his thumb in the hopes of soothing the tealnet.

''It's okay, it is your first day here after all. It is only natural that you are still unfamiliar with such things. Now then, if you do not have any other questions, I must leave you for now. I hope you have a good rest,'' the Emperor spoke smoothly and released the other's hand. Without another word he turned around and swiftly began heading towards the door. However, he was soon stopped by the quiet voice of his guest and he glanced over his shoulder at the teen.

''Um, Akashi-Heika, if I may ask one last question,'' Kuroko started quite uncomfortably, trying not to avert his eyes from the waiting man. ''That woman from earlier... Who is she?..''

''Ah, did you find her attitude interesting?'' the Emperor lightly chuckled and fully turned to the tealnet. ''She is a servant, but not an ordinary one. She is my personal maid and has known me all her life, since I took her in when she was but a small child, abandoned by her mother. That is why she is vividly more confident than the rest.''

''Oh, I see,'' the teen mumbled. It was quite strange though, that woman seemed even older than Kuroko, and yet Akashi said she has known him almost all of her life... The man has to be quite old then, but how on Earth does he still look so young?.. And all of those graceful movements, that coldness and paleness..

Before he could stop himself or even think about his words, the tealnet blurted out:

''Akashi-Heika is not a vampire by any chance, right?''

The said man's eyes widened by a few fractions at the sudden question, but he soon broke into an amused laugh, his eyes even closed in the process. Kuroko suddenly felt incredibly ridiculous and just wished to hide somewhere. _Why did I ask that?!_

''My, that is certainly a strong accusation I must say,'' Finally his laugh died down to a chuckle and the Emperor could speak. ''A vampire huh... As thrilling as it may sound, it would most likely be quite inconvenient for me. No, Tetsuya, you may rest peacefully, for I am not a creature of such origins and will not attack you in your sleep. If I was one, I believe I would have already killed you.''

''I-I see...'' Kuroko murmured, not looking at the man in front of him.

''However, I suppose I do posses certain traits which are characteristic to them as well,'' Akashi spoke in wonder, seemingly thinking about this topic. ''But, once again, rest assured, for I will not hunt you for your blood. Now, I hope I answered all of your questions, so if you'll excuse me...''

Kuroko stood frozen for a few moments to make sure he was indeed left alone. Afterwards he slowly began walking through the room and soon he stood besides a grand heavenly bed which now, based on what he was told, belonged to him. This whole situation certainly seemed surreal to the distressed teen. It was extremely hard to comprehend all of this after all. Wishing that it is only some twisted dream, the tealnet slowly climbed onto the giant bed and sunk into it's soft mattress. Once again, Kuroko was marveled by it's comfortableness, it felt as if he was laying on clouds. He didn't even bother taking off his shoes or moving into a different position, for slumber overtook him soon enough.

-.-

As expected, when Akashi entered his study the two people he had earlier summoned were already present and were rather impatiently waiting for him in armchairs. Without glancing at either of them the Emperor walked passed them to his seat behind the dark wood table. Both men kept silent and only eagerly waited for their ruler to speak first. However, their moods were quite different. The blonde seemed quite excited yet anxious to why Akashi called him, though he was also rather interested to find out more about the new guest, while the second one was seemingly shooting furious glares at Akashi, silently demanding for an explanation.

''Ryouta,'' the Emperor finally spoke, shifting his eyes to the perked up blonde. His intertwined his hands in front of him and placed his chin on top of them before continuing. ''Since at the moment you have the least work, I shall entrust you with a very important task. Because my time is very limited, I myself cannot familiarize my guest with the palace's grounds properly, so I ask of you to become Tetsuya's escort for the time being. I assume there will be no problems with that, correct?'' His gaze sharpened, daring for the other to disagree.

''Y-Yeah, of course, Akashicchi,'' the man stuttered, momentarily frightened by the intense stare, but quickly composed himself and a smile appeared on his lips. ''If he's your guest, I'll make sure to treat him appropriately~''

''I expect as much. However, do not go overboard.''

''Overboard?..'' Kise repeated slightly confused, but realization suddenly struck him. ''Oh! I see, of course not, Akashicchi. I'll make sure the others get the message as well.''

''Good,'' the Emperor nodded, softening his gaze. ''Tetsuya is now resting, so visit him after approximately an hour. I'll inform you of his room later. You may go now.''

The blonde nodded eagerly and stood up. After casting a curious glance to the third occupant of the room, he left them alone. The vibe the green-haired man radiated was not the most pleasant one.

Akashi continued gazing into the closed door, not casting a single look at the other man. The Emperor well knew what he was thinking, so he had no desire in seeing those emotions in the other's eyes. And after the red-haired ruler had assumed it was safe for them to discuss this private topic, he spoke in an indifferent tone:

''I'm listening, Shintarou.''

The said man stared intensely at the other for a few moments before he voiced out his command that had been burning inside his head all this time.

''Explain.''

''I'm afraid you will have to be more specific than that.''

''You know very well what I mean, Akashi,'' Midorima snapped and stood up, his fiery eyes never leaving the Emperor. ''Explain to me _why is that boy still alive_.''

Akashi released a sigh at that. He knew his old companion would bring this important question up, but honestly, he did not wish to discuss it. Unfortunately, it didn't seem as if he had another choice.

''And for what reason should he be dead, Shintarou?'' The Emperor finally shifted his gaze to the furious man, his fiery eyes on par with the other's. ''For his involvement in that resistance group or...?''

''Both. I cannot understand why you would allow him to continue living when you have such reasons to kill him this very moment, nanodayo. But not only is he alive, you even decided to treat him as your guest!..''

''I do not expect you to understand my reasons,'' Akashi sighed once more and closed his heterochromatic eyes for a few moments. ''First, I have time, more than enough. I do not wish to kill Tetsuya without being sure of my theory. It could just be that after all, a theory. If it would prove to be false, then yes, I would punish him for his crimes against me accordingly, but if not...''

''So you are still planning of disposing him sooner or later, correct?''

''Why of course,'' A light smirk crept onto the red-haired man's lips. ''Like I said, I merely have enough time to fully test my theory and entertain myself in the process, but yes, in the end Kuroko Tetsuya's fate is inevitable. He shall be killed when the right time arrives.''

''Entertain...'' Midorima repeated that certain word rather oddly. He clicked his tongue in irritation before continuing. ''I'm afraid you may be playing with fire, Akashi. You may get burnt if you are not careful, nanodayo.''

''I appreciate your concern, but there is no need for that.''

'' _As your advisor_ I suggest you get rid of him as soon as possible.''

''And _as the Emperor_ I ask you to leave this matter to me. The situation is completely in my hands and that will not change.''

''...I cannot help but think about this from the perspective of that boy. You are simply planning to swoon him with luxuries, create an illusion that he is safe and in the end kill him? That is quite harsh, even for you, Akashi, nanodayo,'' the man voiced out his thoughts daringly as those sharp eyes behind his golden spectacles glinted dangerously.

''Since when did you, Shintarou, become _caring_?'' Akashi asked suspiciously with narrowed eyes. ''I do not remember such attitude when we were executing our tasks earlier.''

Midorima opened his mouth to say something back, but words got stuck in his throat and he fell silent for a few moments. There was no way of explaining his reasons to Akashi, he knew that.

''It is hopeless trying to make you understand,'' he simply sighed and shooks his head.

''That is true. Unfortunately, I indeed cannot and will not understand,'' Akashi cast a rather bitter smile at his companion.

''Fine, I shall trust you with this matter then. But tell me, what about the rest of the resistance group, nanodayo?''

''Everything is, yet again, in my hands. I decided to let them be for now, since I doubt they will cause us any trouble now that we have Tetsuya. And if I ever need means of keeping him in line, I will use them and vice versa. However, I doubt that will be necessary in Tetsuya's case. He is... quite an interesting peasant,'' An amused smirk crept onto the Emperor's lips as he continued. ''I shall enjoy the time I have with him to the fullest.''

''And then kill him?''

''And then kill him, yes.''

''I sincerely hope the tables will not be turned against you,'' Midorima sighed and rubbed one of his temples.

''Once again, I appreciate your concern. If you do not have any other matters to discuss, you may leave.''

Now alone, the Emperor leaned back in chair and closed his heterochromatic eyes. Midorima should not bother him for awhile now, but it is certainly not the last time he heard from him about this. That is inevitable, the man is quite loyal to him after all. But Akashi is not planning on changing his mind about his guest. It was true that the teen intrigued him and he could clearly see that there was something beneath all those masks that the Emperor wished to discover. That strong, unwavering gaze... No one may know what exactly the tealnet was thinking, his mind was a mystery to all, including the feared ruler. Even if the teen was so well-mannered, he was far from the submissive and loyal puppy one would assume he was. No, he had that rebellious, fiery aura inside him that refused to sincerely bow down to the Emperor. That, however, only intrigued the man more.

_Just wait, Tetsuya. I will find out all your secrets and I shall make you submit yourself wholly to me. And when you do..._

_...I shall become that vampire._


	5. Chapter 4 - Sweet Taste Of Irony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello there.  
> I mean, I can't really say anything besides sorry.  
> Time somehow disappeared, oops.  
> Umm, but I managed to get my shiz together and finally write this, so hooray for that!  
> This was more fun to write that I originally thought it would be, huh. Yeah, past chapters didn't provide you enough mystery and questions? Here, have some more, today I'm feeling generous :D (like, we could play a game, who shall spot the most hints about Akashi's past?? Like, I'm forcing you to think, I'm sorry--)  
> On a side note, I decided to start giving chapters titles, so ya (somemayormaynotholdsomeclues)  
> Also, I feel like the end is perhaps lacking more detail or something, but I legit wrote it at two o' clock in the night, so by that time part of my brain was singing 'Kai sirpo vyšnios Suvalkijoj, raudonos kad pravirkt gali', part of my brain was for some goddamn reason dreaming about train conductors, and the rest was trying to write this, so I'm surprised I managed to finish it at all. I don't know, maybe it's enough, you be the judge.  
> Thank you all for your support! I really should start answering to the comments, but I legit forget that. I'll try to change that. In the meantime enjoy!

 

If truth be told, Kuroko with all his heart hoped that if he fell asleep, he would once again wake up in his own bed. That this would all prove to be just a nightmare. That his mother would greet him as if nothing had happened.

Of course, that proved to be futile hope once the teen began stirring awake after awhile. The first thing Kuroko's mind registered was the unbelievable softness of the mattress he was laying on. That was the immediate factor that crashed him back to reality. If one could call this _reality._

Softly groaning, Kuroko cracked his eyes open only to find himself in the same unfamiliar room, now supposedly _his._ Judging from the dim, orange light seeping through the thin curtains, it was most likely sunset already. For how long had he been sleeping?.. Perhaps this much information and new discoveries took a toll on him. The teen had said he would only be resting for a short while, but his body dictated otherwise. However, no one seemed to had bothered him. Who would have exactly, though? Kuroko's presence here was still quite unknown after all...

After laying motionless on the comfortable bed for a few minutes, the tealnet began slowly sitting up. Honestly, Kuroko didn't remember the last time he was still well-rested. Despite his complicated situation that resulted in many troubled thoughts, his body appreciated the comfortable bed greatly. He felt quite... refreshed. However, his mind was a different question. No matter how he physically felt, he still believed waking up in his own rickety bed would be a blessing. Kuroko wasn't dense, he perfectly understood Akashi had ill intentions behind his “imprisonment”. It was unclear what the Emperor wanted from him, but it couldn't be good. If he would act the way he did all the time, then...

An idea struck Kuroko.

Perhaps he could actually bend the situation in his favor.

Just then, however, his train of thought was interrupted by a knock on the room's door, slightly startling the musing tealnet. He blinked a couple of times at the door and took a moment to compose himself before standing up.

''Come in,'' Kuroko said in a louder than usually voice. Who could want him?..

On command, the door opened and a handsome man entered. Kuroko recognized him immediately. It was rather difficult to mix up such vibrant sunshine hair and yellow topaz eyes with just anyone. However, as sharp as his vision was, it was quite clear the occupant of the room passed his sight, as the man was frantically looking around. It shouldn't have been a surprise after all.

''Good evening,'' Kuroko cut the silence, bringing the other's attention to him.

The blonde's eyes finally landed on the teen, and widened in surprise as if on cue. His hand quickly covered his mouth in what was most likely an attempt to muffle his gasp. The man blinked a couple of times before he lowered his hand, attempting to compose himself, before shaping his lips into a bright, yet with a tint of almost imperceptible contempt smile and took a few steps forward.

''Hello, you must be Kuroko-kun,'' the blonde addressed the other as he stopped in front of him. ''I'm Kise Ryouta and I'll be your personal guide.''

''Yes, I'm aware of who you are and it is an honor to meet you, Kise-sama. I will be in your care then,'' Kuroko responded adequately with a bow.

''So polite!..'' the male astonished before a rather sheepish chuckle left his lips. ''Though there is really no need to be so formal, we'll be staying under the same roof now after all!''

_That's a rather strange way of thinking._

''But I'm a guest while you are a high-ranking commander, it's only natural for me to act this way,'' the tealnet commented, tilting his head to the side.

''Only Akashicchi and Midorimacchi really fuss over such things,'' Kise waved his hand at that dismissively. ''Besides, if Akashicchi himself took you in, you must be very important.''

_I'm not quite sure whether that's a good or a bad thing._

Being met with Kuroko's silence and glassy eyes, the blonde scratched the back of his head a bit awkwardly before speaking again.

''A-Anyway, we should probably get going if we want to cover at least a part of this place before night,'' he broke the tension with a grin and gestured for Akashi's – which meant their all – guest to follow him.

Kuroko pondered in place for a few moments before complying. He always thought this particular commander was one of the least intimidating ones, which naturally meant he had to be the least dangerous as well, for what reason Kuroko was moderately calm around him. However, he couldn't lower his guard too much as well; the teen knew nothing about this Kise Ryouta, so he may never know what this blonde could be hiding under his cheery mask. For the mean time Kuroko should try being as careful as he could around every single resident of this place.

On the other hand, Kise was having a slight internal panic. An awkward silence hung in the air as the two of them slowly strode through the giant hall and the blonde hadn't had the slightest idea on how to break it. The boy next to him, after all, was a complete mystery. What Kise found intriguing, though, was the lack of emotion. The small tealnet was well-mannered, that was true, but he didn't appear shaken up or fidgety at all. Despite being in such a place the teen was awfully composed. Why would Akashi bring him here? Was there something Kise didn't know about his and the Emperor's relationship?..

''If you don't mind me asking,'' the blonde finally ended their silence, casting a quick glance to the tealnet next to him. ''Do you know why you're here?''

Kuroko lifted his eyes to the commander and shook his head.

''Am I right to assume Kise-san doesn't know as well?''

Well, he couldn't lie.

''No,'' the male sighed. ''Akashicchi chose to keep that a secret.''

''Shame. I would have loved to know the reason behind my imprisonment,'' the teen mumbled quietly, as if more to himself.

''Kuroko-kun, you're not a prisoner here, you're a guest. Akashicchi would have locked you away in the basement if you were.''

''I can't leave and I'm being held here against my own will. That sounds like a prison to me,'' Kuroko deadpanned.

''Umm... Well...'' Kise rubbed his neck awkwardly, trying to think up of any ingenious ideas. ''Even if it was, it's the best prison in the world! Trust me, at the end of our tour you'll think so as well,'' he grinned enthusiastically.

Kuroko lifted a brow in doubt, but he didn't have a chance to comment on that before the cheery blonde spoke once again.

''And on that note we arrive at our first destination!''

Honestly, Kise was amazed. Or perhaps intrigued would be a better word. No matter where they went, Kuroko remained almost completely expressionless. They didn't usually have guests, but whenever they did, every single one without an exception would gape around the glamorous palace, eyes sparkling with awe. And no wonder, the exterior was beyond luxurious, so it was no surprise any regular person marveled at the sight. However, it was almost impossible to perceive any emotion in Kuroko. Perhaps he was indeed feeling something, but his expression refused to give away any hints of it. Maybe the teen came from a wealthy background?.. Kise knew absolutely nothing about the tealnet after all and where Akashi found him. Honestly, what was with all this secrecy? There had to be a very important reason for Akashi to take this teen in as his _personal guest_ , though to be more precise, imprison him. However, if Kuroko were a criminal of some sorts, he would surely be dead by now, not quietly strolling in their palace. Something really big had to be behind this. Midorima was probably aware of it, being Akashi's personal adviser and the closest to a friend the Emperor could have. Nevertheless, the secrecy irked Kise off quite a bit. He understood that perhaps Akashi had his reasons, but didn't he learn from last time that it was better to be more open, especially when it most likely concerned all of them? What was their leader thinking? He couldn't keep them in the dark all the time, hadn't they earned his trust already? Hadn't they proved their loyalty when those scandalous murders came to light which they knew nothing about? However, Kise, as well as his other companions, trusted Akashi without a doubt, so they would stay silent and patiently wait until their leader decided to enlighten them on this new situation. For now Kise had a very important task.

''And this is the entrance to the gardens,'' the blonde announced as they stopped in front of a pair of glass doors. Once he opened them, the pair stepped outside into the evening. It was the perfect time to visit this place actually. The setting sun was just above the horizon, thus everything – the trees, the bushes, the flowers – was painted in gentle colors of orange and red. The gardens were positioned in such a way that they would face west, therefore they were always engulfed in the sunset's beauty. Quite a romantic place for a walk.

''It's very beautiful here,'' Kuroko breathed out, stepping a couple of stairs down from the marble platform. Indeed, his eyes glinted in amazement as he gazed into the distance, taking in the colorful view before him. ''Everything is so well-kept.''

''Well, we do have a very professional gardener,'' Kise responded, curiously observing the teen. Perhaps he could mention a certain detail... ''You know, Akashicchi actually has his own small garden by the end of the main ones.''

''He does?'' Kuroko looked back at the blonde, surprise audible oh-so slightly in his voice.

''Yeah, but he doesn't let anyone else enter it. Not even us,'' Kise chuckled sheepishly. ''I do wonder from time to time what he keeps there... He quite enjoys spending time there. You should ask him about it, perhaps he'd show you?''

''Somehow I doubt that...'' the tealnet sighed and lightly shook his head. It wasn't as if he was extremely eager to familiarize with his captor.

''Well, you'd never know,'' Kise shrugged before turning around. ''Anyway, we should probably remain in the palace. I'm not sure whether Akashicchi would want you wandering the gardens at this hour. I could show you them another time, perhaps during the day.''

Kuroko didn't respond anything to that. He gazed into the sunset for a couple more moments before following the blonde inside. If truth be told, he would have quite enjoyed a quiet stroll in these wide spaces, but obviously that was out of the question for now. The teen sincerely doubted Akashi would allow him to be alone for now.

''We still have one last place to visit,'' Kise informed him as they continued walking through the giant halls. Kuroko stayed silent and only wished for this tour to end as quickly as possible. He was already quite exhausted from moving so much, not that he would ever complain about that. Besides, it was also rather tiring having your guard up all the time. At least when he was alone he could relax a bit and be with his thoughts. That wasn't quite possible with his current company, who was much of a chat-box. He did say their next destination would be the final one though, so this should be over soon.

However, Kuroko was, to say the least, pleasantly surprised when Kise stopped in front of two luxurious wooden doors and opened them, revealing a magnificent library. Indeed, surprise was a bit of an understatement. That much was obvious from the way Kuroko's usually dull eyes lit up at the sight of the many many rows of books. It was quite the hassle to acquire a single one in their town, considering Kuroko lived in poverty with no status whatsoever, but whenever his grandfather got his hands on one, the forever-curious teen immediately dug into it. It was a rather bizarre phenomenon actually. So naturally such a sight enchanted him. He could already see himself immersing in the many stories these creations held...

''So yeah, this is the main library, it's open all the time,'' Kise announced, casting a glance at the teen. He was quite surprised to see the marveling look in the other's eyes, which rose a question in his mind. ''Do you, um, know how to read by any chance?''

''Yes, and I do enjoy doing so very much,'' Kuroko nodded, not lifting his eyes traveling eyes from one shelf to the other. Then, without warning, he strolled off to a random row, leaving a baffled Kise behind. This just further strengthened the assumption that Kuroko came from a family of high status. How and why else would he know how to read? Peasants didn't need such a skill after all.

It took a couple of seconds for the blonde to snap out of his thoughts and after a few blinks he realized he lost the small teen from his sight. Immediately panic rose inside of him as Akashi's words from awhile back rang inside his head: _Do not let him escape your sight._ For some reason Kise felt as if it was crucial not to lose Kuroko here or anywhere. He wasn't doing a very good job at that it seemed.

''Kuroko-kun, wait up!'' Kise called out, quickly walking inside the library. He had hoped that the teen would respond to him, but only silence greeted the distressed blonde as he was rushing through the rows. No, the quiet tealnet was nowhere in sight and obviously preferred it that way.

Truthfully, Kise was on the verge of panicking. This place was huge after all.

In the meantime, Kuroko perfectly heard the other's calls, but purposely remained silent, quietly walking through the many rows of bookshelves. He could finally more or less sigh in relief. It was an incredibly low chance Kise would find him. Even if he did somehow come across him here, Kuroko would most likely easily slip past his eyes, especially now when the man was rather frantic. For at least awhile the teen could enjoy the solitude. He was quite far into the library after all, and the blonde's shouts were moderately muffled.

Ah, the delicious scent of old books. How Kuroko adored that smell. It always soothed him immensely, relaxing his troubled mind. It made him feel at peace and, honestly, the tealnet wouldn't mind living inside a library, especially as spacious as this one. He would have activity for the rest of his life, and he would at least spend it productively, enlightening himself in so many different areas. If only his body didn't require nutrition and sleep, Kuroko was certain he could spend all his time reading.

Finally coming to a stop, the quiet teen lightly leaned against one of the shelves and exhaled a sigh, closing his eyes. How he wished he could just confine in here. He was in this library for no more than ten minutes and he already loved it. Who would have so many books thought?.. Did they honestly have enough time and wish to read so much? Not that Kuroko complained. If this place was indeed opened twenty four seven, then it seemed the teen just found his blessing in hell.

Pondering for a few more seconds in such a position Kuroko opened his eyes and straightened up. If he was here, he should at least see what treasures laid in such a place. It would be a waste not to.

Stepping to one of the shelves by the high wall, the teen gently went over the many covers with the tips of his fingers. So much work, so many hours spent writing these magnificent creations, so much dedication, so much knowledge. The sheer amount of it took Kuroko's breath away. He hadn't had the slightest idea where to start. There were just so many of them...

Finally deciding on a random book with an inviting name, the tealnet carefully took the rather big book out. It was undoubtedly heavy, not that Kuroko complained. He wouldn't go far from here to read after all, so it wasn't a problem. However, a quick glance back made him stop in place. Now with curious eyes, he looked back at the spot he took the book out. Perhaps it was merely a play of light?... However, where the candlelight reached the back of the shelf, its wood seemed somehow... different from the rest's. Maybe it was just Kuroko's imagination though? The teen tried to shake it off, but that strange feeling didn't leave.

That was when a bizarre idea occurred to him.

Kuroko had read about such things in those books of his after all, so it was no surprise such a thought entered his mind. Nevertheless, it didn't seem very possible. It would simply be too coincidental. However, in the end the teen decided to entertain that certain thought. There should be no harm in trying, correct?

Putting the book back, Kuroko placed his hands and the shelf and tried pushing it. To his great surprise, it moved. And quite easily too. The teen kept turning the shelf until it faced him sideways and revealed what was supposed to be a passageway. And most likely a rather secret one.

Why would there be a passage at such a spot?..

Now, Kuroko came across a dilemma: he could either move the bookshelf back to its place and pretend nothing happened or venture inside. The first option would be a much safer one while the other could result in a catastrophe for Kuroko. However, the teen couldn't fight off his immense curiosity. If there was a secret passageway in such a place it meant it must lead somewhere important and most likely confidential. The urge to find out what that was eating Kuroko alive.

Finally, after coming to a firm decision, the teen quickly glanced around his surroundings to make sure he was alone before stepping inside the entryway and turning the shelf back in place behind him. Honestly, he felt like one of those heroes from those ancient stories he had read as a child. Entering areas he shouldn't... Adrenaline rushed through his veins at the very thought as he quietly began pacing through the narrow corridor.

The passageway was mostly dark, yet occasional small torches flickered here and there, indicating that this passage was in use. Kuroko could only hope no one decided to enter it this time around, that would certainly cause him problems. How would he explain himself? Perhaps he could just stick to the truth that he accidentally found it and couldn't control his curiosity? It was a believable excuse after all. The tealnet wished he wouldn't have to use it though either way.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the end of the tunnel entered Kuroko's vision. Now with each step his heartbeat rose, anxiousness yet a color of excitement seeping inside of him as he grew nearer and nearer his destination. Ah, the fear of the unknown and the marvelous urge to uncover its secrets. Kuroko both feared what awaited him on the other side yet was immensely curious, which encouraged him to move forward until he finally reached the end.

The tealnet stopped in front of the exit and took a couple of deep breaths in order to try and calm down his wild heart. He couldn't turn back now. Mustering up his will-power and courage, the teen placed his hands on the wall and slowly, extremely gently pushed it to not make a single sound. The wooden wall began silently moving, turning to the side as the previous one, and soon enough the gap was big enough for Kuroko to exit the dark passageway. Taking in another deep breath, the teen stepped out of the tunnel.

The room Kuroko ended up in proved to be extremely similar to a library at first glance, yet quite dimmer. There were multiple rows of bookshelves in both directions, including one alone the wall. Quietly, Kuroko pushed the shelf back in its place, taking note of the books in it, and carefully glanced around. He had no idea where he was, therefore he couldn't be sure whether he was alone or not. Nevertheless, he couldn't stay in one place forever, so with that thought the teen began silently pacing along the wall and trying to see anything of interest through the many rows of bookshelves, which was a rather tedious task given the dim lighting. Did he perhaps end up in an another, somewhat smaller library? Perhaps a private one? Who would need a passageway from one library to another though? Unless that person did a lot of research and needed information from both of them at the same time. That would probably make sense.

However, Kuroko's train of thoughts were cut off as his eyes finally landed on that object of interest after a few minutes of silent walking. He immediately froze in place as his magnificent blues widened in shock, and danger alert rang through his whole body. Immediately Kuroko moved behind one of the rows, successfully hiding himself in the shadows. He quickly placed a hand over his mouth to muffle down the sound of his breathing, yet the tealnet feared his racing heartbeat would be a dead giveaway.

Out of all the places he could have gotten to, he ventured into Akashi Seijuurou's personal study with said man sitting behind his desk, bending over a pile of scrolls and quickly scribbling something on them with his white quill, occasionally dipping its tip in a small container of ink. Luckily for Kuroko, he seemed quite immersed in his work, therefore didn't hear nor notice the small tealnet, very fortunately indeed.

This was just marvelous.

For a few minutes Kuroko stood frozen behind a shelf, staring into the wood without making a single sound or move. He wasn't quite sure what Akashi would do to him if he found him here. He was rather certain after all that this territory of the palace was out-of-bounds for him. It was the Emperor's study after all, the information it held must have been highly confidential. Akashi wouldn't want just anyone rummaging through it...

However, now that Kuroko slightly calmed down, he could think more rationally. He had discovered a direct passageway to the Emperor's personal study, full of all sorts of documents. If he kept it a secret, it could prove to be incredibly beneficial. The teen could very well make Akashi regret kidnapping him.

After several silent minutes with nothing besides the scribbling of a quill filling it, Kuroko finally mustered enough courage to oh-so slightly move his head from behind the shelf to observe the working redhead from the shadows. Judging from the pile of scrolls next to him the teen deducted Akashi still had quite a load left, which meant he wasn't leaving anytime soon. And until he was gone, Kuroko was stuck there as well. He could not risk moving now that he knew who was present inside the room apart from him. He could only quietly stare at the writing Emperor and hope he wouldn't take too long.

Also... Kuroko forgot about a certain someone. Kise had probably entered panic mode by now, not being able to find the teen for so long. What was he planning on doing next then? Surely he wouldn't go to Akashi and report it?.. Somehow Kuroko doubted that. The Emperor wouldn't exactly be pleased after all.

The tealnet's train of thought was suddenly cut when Akashi unexpectedly lifted his head in Kuroko's direction. The teen barely manage to completely hide behind the shelf before the redhead's sharp eyes landed on him. Kuroko's heartbeat accelerated to wild levels and he silently prayed with all his heart the other didn't see him. How did he even felt the need to look at this direction?.. Kuroko should take note that Akashi was seemingly abnormally sensitive and could feel when he was being watched. That wasn't exactly favorable for the unfortunate teen.

However, not hearing any chairs moving, Kuroko made an assumption the redhead wasn't planning on getting up. Feeling extremely daring, the tealnet cast a quick glance over the shelf to find that Akashi had indeed resumed his work. He most likely wrote off that sense as nothing, and Kuroko should make sure he continued believing that way.

The silent male was unsure how much time passed before the silence was interrupted by three gentle knocks on what Kuroko assumed was the room's door. Someone must have decided to visit their ruler and the tealnet could only hope they would somehow get him out of this place.

''Come in,'' Akashi's smooth, yet commanding as ever voice rang through the study.

Following those words, the door opened and a person, most likely a man judging from the heavy footsteps entered. Kuroko wished he could observe the scene, but for now he would have to be satisfied with only sound, for he could not risk being accidentally discovered.

''Akashi-Heika, I came to report the situation with the resistance group as you have asked,'' the man started. Those words immediately caught Kuroko's attention.

''I'm listening,'' Akashi gave his permission to speak.

''As you have suspected, the delivery succeeded without any issues. There were no signs of any interference.''

''Good, and the forest?''

''The place was empty when we arrived there, though judging by the looks of it, people were certainly residing there.''

''That much was obvious. They would have been fools if they stayed there,'' Akashi commented with a click of his tongue. A chair moving rang through the room and Kuroko assumed the redhead must have stood up. ''However, there will be no further issue. I have cracked their code and am aware of their next hideout, so there should be no problems. I shall see to it personally. Inform Midorima of my visit, I will come to his office in ten minutes.''

''Yes, Akashi-Heika,'' the man most likely bowed and Kuroko heard a door opening and closing, indicating the man had left.

After a good second the tealnet gathered his will-power and once again glanced over the shelf. Akashi was arranging the scrolls on his table before he took them and disappeared into one of the further rows of bookshelves. He was gone out of sight for a good minute before he emerged into Kuroko's vision again. The redhead pondered by his desk for a couple of moments before sighing and striding off to the exit. Soon after a door was heard and Kuroko was left alone.

Silent seconds were ticking as the frozen teen processed the information he had acquired. So that was the real reason why Akashi told him he wouldn't ask anything about his comrades, he already knew of their whereabouts... And seemingly present ones as well. That thought made Kuroko's blood run cold. For some god-forsaken reason the Emperor decided to spare the tealnet for now, perhaps to toy with him, but Kuroko sincerely doubted his friends' fate would be similar. No, once caught, death would surely await them.

There had to be something Kuroko could do to prevent that.

After waiting for another good minute to make sure no one was coming, the teen took a deep breath and exhaled, mentally preparing himself for his new-found task. He had come this far, he couldn't back away now. With that thought Kuroko quickly, trying to be as silent as he could, walked through the row of bookshelves until he ended up in the main part of the room. The Emperor's desk was just a few meters from there. Perhaps he would be able to find something of value there?

Kuroko approached the table and carefully rummaged through some papers that were laying there, making extra sure to put them back exactly in the place they originally were. He couldn't risk Akashi gaining a suspicion someone had been here. However, Kuroko couldn't find anything of interest there. Nothing that would scream 'important information'. Well, there were also a few drawers down the desk, so perhaps he should check them as well.

Almost all of them held no significant documents or items, but the last one was, surprisingly, locked. Kuroko was a bit taken aback by that. Why would Akashi need to have a locked drawer in his own study? He obviously held something there he didn't wish for anyone to discover. If Kuroko was going to find something, it would be there. Now, however, the main question rose: where was the key?

Judging by the lock, the key had to be quite small, no bigger than one inch. Such a tiny item could be hiding anywhere. However, if Akashi was using the drawer once in awhile, then he shouldn't be keeping the key somewhere too far away, perhaps even close to the actual drawer, though obviously not in plain sight.

Kuroko tangled his hand in his hair as he tried to gain any ingenious ideas. Where would someone as Akashi Seijuurou hide a key? That was certainly a challenging riddle. Given the man's skill regarding mind tricks, it could be anywhere, yet somewhere you would never look. Perhaps even closer than one would think.

It was a stupid idea, of course, but just in case Kuroko lifted up the small ink container up. Of course, as expected, there was nothing there, it would have been bizarre if there were. Akashi would never hide anything under a mere item where anyone could find it. No, he would make sure the person wouldn't even have the slightest of ideas to search in that place and would probably overlook it way too easily. That was logical after all, right?

Somewhere you would never look...

As a certain strange thought slowly brewed inside Kuroko's mind, the tealnet pondered for a few moments before moving his other hand under the actual container. Grazing the surface gently with the tips of his fingers, the tealnet was immensely taken aback when he felt it was uneven. Lifting the bottle up above his head, Kuroko saw the reason for that. Surprisingly enough, a small metal key was attached to its black surface. How..?

Carefully, the teen tried pulling it and strangely found it a bit hard. Now quite puzzled, he used more force and the key was successfully in between his fingertips. Since the area was now clear, Kuroko inspected it a bit closer. There, on the bottom, was a small plate seemingly made out of some metal. When Kuroko slowly brought the key back to it, he felt how an invisible force began pulling it towards the plate. Only then did it hit him that it was a magnet there. That way a small metal object could easily attach to it and not fall off when the ink container was lifted. Quite an unconventional idea to say the least. Still, certainly not everyone would suspect it, especially when magnets weren't used this way usually.

Placing the container back to its original spot, Kuroko diverted his attention to the mysterious drawer once more. Casting a quick glance to the door, the teen knelt down next to it and inserted the small key into the lock and twisted it. After a satisfying click was heard, he carefully pulled out the drawer and found... a couple of more scrolls. Honestly, what did he expect?

Nevertheless, those papers could be valuable, given the fact that Akashi went through all that trouble of locking them away from anyone's peering eyes. However, once Kuroko had looked through each of them closely, his curiosity wasn't satisfied. They seemed quite important, yes, but nothing that would prove of any value to the tealnet. This wasn't what he was searching for. Not some old scrolls...

But why would Akashi have these locked away? They didn't look very relevant to him at this time, why couldn't he had put them somewhere in those many rows of documents and books? No, that seemed illogical. Besides, the Emperor didn't bother hiding any other scrolls using such means, they couldn't have held significantly higher importance, right?

No... Perhaps they did. Only not in the way anyone would normally assume.

After taking the documents out of the drawer, Kuroko inspected its bottom closer. To the naked eye it looked completely ordinary, but this certain tealnet always tended to suspect such matters more than others. And fortunately really. After placing one hand on the bottom inside the drawer and the other outside, Kuroko felt an obvious gap between the two. The plate of wood he was seeing inside the drawer was merely a proxy, a second, fake bottom. Feeling now more curious than ever, Kuroko placed both of his hands inside the drawer and slowly traced the wood deeper into the furniture, gently pressing it downwards. About three quarters in the plate's end began lowering while the other lifted, as if a small seesaw. And thus, Kuroko found Akashi's secret hiding spot.

However, the revealed mystery item certainly surprised the young male, his eyes widening once they landed on it. Underneath the fake bottom, right in the middle laid... a dagger. And not just any dagger. An ancient and extremely luxurious one. Its handle was delicately engraved with various ornaments with three glistening crimson jewels sitting on top of it. The blade was as clean as a new one, yet it was possible to notice certain details which hinted the fact that it had been polished many, many times, keeping it forever bright. However, rust had obviously touched the handle years ago, despite it being so well-kept. The two must had been made from different metals, it was logical after all. What was strange though was the fact that the dagger didn't have its case. Usually such an expensive one always had an equally glamorous case, yet this one didn't. It was quite odd really. Had it perhaps gotten lost over so many years?..

Carefully, Kuroko grasped the handle and slowly took the weapon out. It proved to be unusually light. Normally such daggers or swords weren't worth all that much because of their low durability, but this one was obviously valuable, the main reason being that it was hidden to such an extent by none other than Akashi himself and being clearly cared for. The young tealnet lightly touched the thin blade with the tips of his fingers and deemed the sharpness was also exceptional. Was this weapon perhaps Akashi's family's relic? It didn't have any sort of crest though... Maybe then merely an important antique? Almost all of these thoughts were irrelevant. However, one important question remained: for what reason Akashi held such an item in this specific place? For self-defense? Highly unlikely, the process of acquiring it was much too complicated for that reason. It was no use bending his mind this way, all of these ideas were simply assumptions of no real value, Kuroko had absolutely no way of knowing the true answers.

Now, what could be his next plan of action?

And then, it struck the young rebel. He had a dagger in his hands. A deadly weapon. And he was in the _Emperor's_ palace as a _guest._ It was very likely Akashi would continue attempting to familiarize with him, suspecting absolutely nothing. What could Kuroko do after all? He was a weakling in those mismatching eyes, a boy possessing no threat. A scared, obedient sheep now that Akashi was in direct control of him. Of course. Kuroko didn't pose any danger. But now that little sheep had a dagger in his hands and certainly enough reason to use it.

And, most importantly, enough will-power.

-.-

Needless to say, by the time Kuroko reunited with his supposed-guide, Kise was in a state of pure panic. He had rummaged through the whole library at least a hundred times before Kuroko decided to suddenly appear behind him. It almost gave him a heart-attack, yes, but the blonde was rather certain never before in his life had he felt this relieved. Akashi would had certainly had his head if Kise had lost his guest and left him wandering someplace he shouldn't. Luckily, Kuroko with a straight face explained that he hadn't gone anywhere, only Kise merely managed to overlook him every single time and he was too immersed in a specific book to care. Quite blunt to say the least, but after complaining for a few minutes the blonde calmed down. It was already rather late, and he had a duty to lead Kuroko back to his chambers by complete nightfall, which was not too far away. And he was inclined to do just that.

Soon enough, Kuroko was once again back in his dark room. The teen didn't bother lighting it up, he preferred the shadows much more in this place. The moonlight seeping through his thin curtains was enough brightness for him. Unlike the sunshine rays, this light was white, cold. Yet oddly comforting. Peaceful.

Such thoughts swirled inside Kuroko's mind as he gazed out the high window into the dark, starry sky. How strangely serene. Indeed, given his situation the teen should feel anything but calm. However, as his blue eyes examined the night sky's dome and his pale hands held the dagger by its handle and blade, Kuroko didn't experience a tint of anxiousness. He was oddly tranquil. He didn't fear for his life. If Kuroko managed to execute his task, death would be a certain fate, the final result at least. But what did it matter in the end? What meaning did his life hold? He was merely one in a thousand, a million. If he were to die, only perhaps his mother and a few friends would mourn, the world would continue living as before, time would continue flowing. His death wouldn't change or affect anything. However, Kuroko could make it not in vain. Perhaps his life and death were meaningless, but not a certain ruler's. For ten years his people resisted his tyranny, or tried to at least with all their might. Even to this day they hadn't given up hope of reconquering their own country. While the empire this man built was huge and from first glance unwavering, it resembled a dragon. Giant, frightening, deadly. However, cut off his head and everything falls. If the main force that was the base of everything was removed, the empire would collapse. Kuroko's sacrifice would be a small price to pay for the freedom of his country. Perhaps that was the reason he felt this serene. Perhaps--

The teen's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden light knock on his door. Immediately Kuroko snapped out of his trance and quickly slipped the dagger into his wide sleeve before the door opened without his affirmation. Unfortunately, the blade sharply slid across his palm, cutting the fragile skin in its path. Kuroko managed to conceal his hiss of pain as he felt warm blood flowing down his hand and onto the thin dagger which the tealnet held by its sharp end in his palm, the rest hidden in his long sleeve. Not the best position to say the least, since the wound only deepened because of it. However, he could do nothing to change that as a smooth, slightly hushed voice cut through the silence.

''Good evening, Tetsuya,'' the Emperor spoke, closing the door behind him and beginning to approach the still tealnet.

Kuroko looked over his shoulder at the redhead in the shadows, not turning around completely. He couldn't risk the other seeing his bleeding hand after all, which he had to hold bent. He could only continue standing by the window, observing the approaching man in feigning calmness. Whenever he was in this ruler's presence, his body tensed beyond belief.

''To what do I owe the pleasure, Akashi-Heika?'' Kuroko answered as polite as ever, his eyes never leaving the other. His guard was up as never before.

''I wished to hear whether you had an enjoyable tour and if Ryouta treated you well,'' Akashi responded with a smile, far too deceiving to be anywhere near pure. Far too... mysterious.

''Yes, everything was fine, thank you for your concern,'' the teen nodded. ''The palace is extraordinary gorgeous and its exterior is breath-taking.''

''Ah, that's good then. I heard you found great interest in the main library, correct?''

Kuroko tensed ever more at those words. Akashi's tone held a certain tint that the tealnet didn't particularly trust.

''Yes, it's indeed exceptional,'' he answered, this time his voice slightly quieter. The Emperor was right behind him by now, and Kuroko turned his head back to the window again, bringing his arm to his chest and bending his wrist further.

''I'm glad you enjoy it,'' the redhead lightly chuckled, placing both of his cold hands on the smaller male's shoulders.

Silence enveloped the pair as Akashi began gently tracing Kuroko's shoulders and upper arms up and down, as if caressing. Honestly, what was his goal here? That was the thing that dazzled the tealnet the most and made him hesitate in his decision. What business did Akashi have with him? Why was he so keen on familiarizing with him? What possible ill intentions could there be behind such gentle, harmless actions?

A quiet sigh left the Emperor's lips. Strangely enough, he sounded... tired.

''The sky is surely beautiful tonight,'' the redhead suddenly commented, his voice hushed. For some inexplicable reason such words tightened Kuroko's throat. Akashi sounded almost... human. Fragile. The opposite of the one who murdered their king in cold blood. That voice wasn't their self-proclaimed ruler's, but just... a man's. Yet there was also a tint of something else, a color so close to longing. For reasons Kuroko himself couldn't explain, for reasons that didn't belong to him, it broke his heart.

''It is, isn't it?'' Kuroko answered quietly, barely above a whisper.

In a matter of moments, the sharp blade pierced through the silk robe, the delicate skin. It was shoved as deep into the flesh as its length allowed it, breaking apart the many blood vessels in its path. The victim's usually cold, gorgeous eyes widened as he felt the dagger entering his stomach while he culprit kept his own blues hidden, not managing to look at the other's disbelieving ones. He should not have felt hesitation. He should not have felt guilt. He should not have felt hurt.

Where was that emotion even coming from?

Akashi stumbled back a few steps due to the pain shooting through his body the moment the blade made contact with his body. He could only stare at the small tealnet in front of him, who finally managed to lift his eyes up to him. And what he saw surprised him most likely even more than the teen's actions: Kuroko's normally dull, nonchalant eyes now burned with resolution and they bore holes in Akashi's skull. A flash of hurt momentarily crossed his own rubies, but after a mere blink the coldness was once again back into those mismatching eyes.

Now how was that for a turn of events?

''My, my,'' the Emperor started quietly, yet his voice as unwavering as ever. It was impossible to read anything from its tone, perhaps Akashi himself wasn't sure of the color. ''I certainly did not expect this.''

Kuroko's gaze partially changed into a questioning one at the other's words.

''I must say, you went far beyond my expectations,'' the man continued, though now a smirk was slowly spreading across his lips, yet his eyes remained wide. ''To be so deceiving... I can finally see why that resistance group was this successful. You are certainly a gem of great value. However...''

And then, to Kuroko's tremendous shock, Akashi gripped the handle of the weapon and pulled it out of his body with ease, his hands dirtying in blood much too thick for any person. The redhead lowered the blade to his side, his glinting eyes never leaving the stunned rebel, and continued in that horrifying voice of his.

''I'm afraid it would take a bit more to take my life.''

Akashi began taking slow steps in Kuroko's direction, who was simply rooted in place. He could not move a single muscle and could only observe as _it_ was slowly but surely making his way towards him. Kuroko was far too dazed to comprehend his current situation after all.

''I must give you credit though,'' Akashi continued as the bloodied blade in his hand glistened in the dim moonlight. ''I believe no one has ever come this far in regards of assaulting me for a long time now. Not only did you manage to sneak into my study, you also found the key and the fake bottom, therefore discovering this dagger. And most outstanding thus far, you actually managed to attack me,'' The redhead stopped mere inches from the frozen male, who couldn't divert his wide eyes from the Emperor's heterochromatic ones. Eyes full of coldness. ''I am most certainly impressed, which is not an everyday occurrence.''

Kuroko's breath kept hitching. He couldn't understand what was happening, which wasn't all that surprising. Akashi, despite being pierced with a dagger, stood in front of him looking as healthy as ever, which was not physically possible. It wasn't.

''You know, I was not wrong about you,'' Akashi spoke quietly after a brief silence, bringing the dirtied dagger up. Gently, he pressed the tip of it against Kuroko's cheek, slowly trailing the blade across it, thought not strongly enough to break the skin tissue. ''You surely are intriguing. To think you would actually attempt to assassinate me... Marvelous. Absolutely spectacular. And, of course, unfathomably foolish.''

He pressed the blade against the other's cheekbone harder, drawing a few drops of blood out. Kuroko quietly gasped, closing his eyes and attempting to move his head away instinctively. However, Akashi immediately grasped the other side of his face with his bloodied hand, keeping the tealnet in place.

''Shhh...'' he shushed the young rebel softly, moving an inch closer. ''Shh, my dear Tetsuya, I will not hurt you. You will not receive any punishment, you understand me? Instead-- look at me, Tetsuya,'' Akashi commanded, tightening his hold on the other. The said male flinched at that tone, yet complied nonetheless, slowly cracking his eyes open and directing his gaze into the Emperor's mismatching orbs. An elegant, somehow creating the illusion of warmth smile spread across the man's lips. He had yet to lower the blade. ''Instead, here is what we shall do. I will forgive you and forget about this little incident, and you will as well. We will not discuss it any further and you may not mention anything to _anyone_. That would only be in your best interest after all. However,'' his grasp momentarily tightened before it softened and started caressing the other's cheek with his thumb, leaving a trail of blood behind. ''I'll expect such an accident not to repeat itself. Do you understand me? We will forget all about this, but you may not attempt anything this foolish in the future. Do I make myself clear?''

Kuroko didn't know what to answer. He was certainly beyond shocked and confused. This all was too much for his mind to comprehend. Too much. So his head instinctively, albeit slowly moved up and down. There was simply no other option.

''Good boy,'' Akashi praised him, momentarily showing his glistening teeth. ''You should tend to that wound on your hand. I cannot send a maid here for safety reasons, I hope you understand. If rumor got out that you attempted to assassinate me... I fear even I could not protect you. So let's keep this a secret between us.''

With those words the redhead retracted his hand and the blade from Kuroko's face, taking a step back, that smile never left. It had been there from the beginning, only now it seemed more triumphant. This just kept getting odder by the second.

''Then, I shall take my leave. I will need to change the hiding place for this little toy now and I suggest you do not try looking for it,'' Akashi offered once last grin before he turned around and began striding off to the exit. However, just as he had opened the door, a quiet, shaky voice stopped him in his tracks.

''Who... who are you?..''

The Emperor was silent for a moment, contemplating about his answer. Then, he glanced over his shoulder at the frozen male and cast a toothy smile.

''I am Akashi Seijuurou of course.''

And with that the door closed, leaving Kuroko alone in the darkness, who, after a few moments, sunk down to his knees, physically not being able to comprehend anything. Too much. It was simply too much. Oh how too much.

Meanwhile, Akashi couldn't keep that wide grin off his lips. As he felt his head spinning, his legs growing weaker by the moment, resounding pulsing in his ears, that smile only kept widening.

_Oh how marvelous indeed._

 


End file.
